Erdan 2: A Father's Love
by The Cool Kat
Summary: A familiar face from Zhong Yu's past suddenly reappears in the Valley of Peace, causing the wolven warrior to show his softer, more fatherly side, and rethink his decision about letting go of his past forever. Dedicated to AniUniverse and Wolflover111.
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

_**Introduction:**_

Happy Valentines Day, Kung Fu Panda fans! I'm the Cool Kat (an ironic username for someone who's a wolf/dog lover), and this is my first Kung Fu Panda fanfic. Kung Fu Panda fans (Wolf Boss fans in particular), you're probably reading this story for the same reason I wrote it - because you recently saw Kung Fu Panda 2, and couldn't bare the thought of Lord Shen killing off one of your favorite characters in the movie. Ever since I watched Kung Fu Panda 2 on DVD in December, I've been reading all kinds of Wolf Boss fanfiction, and was surprised by what I found. Some stories were soft and touching like "_**Sometimes A Wolf Gets A Second Chance**_" (by Animation Universe 2005), others like "_**Erdan**_" (by Wolflover111), were gut-wrenchingly sad, and some were noble and inspirational, like "_**Strength in Unity**_" (by Hidden Stranger).

After suffering through writer's block for three long months, I decided to try my hand at writing a Wolf Boss story, and a revised version of that became "_**Lazarus**_", an upcoming fanfic about Wolf Boss and his army turning to Po for a chance at redemption. It was a bit of challenge, since I had only written Balto stories before then, but I was looking forward to it. For once, I was writing for animal characters who actually had thumbs and walked on two legs as well as four (Balto fics are fun to write, but they're always so limiting). Another problem was coming up with a name for Boss Wolf. Since the character had only a supporting role in the movie, the writers and producers of Kung Fu Panda 2 never bothered to come up with a name for him. After trying countless Chinese and American names, I chose 'Zhong', a name conceived by American Universe 2005 and Son of Wind in late 2011. I asked for their permission, and they graciously allowed me to use it in this story (Thanks Ani, I owe you one). "_**Lazarus**_" is due to be released soon, but the story you're about to read is actually a side project, another compelling idea I conceived midway through writing "_**Lazarus**_".

This story is actually a crossover between two of my favorite Wolf Boss fics, "_**Erdan**_" and "_**Sometimes A Wolf Gets A Second Chance**_". Even though they're both centered around the same character, the two stories are polar opposites. One's a sad tale about an orphan boy and a doomed soul, while the other is an uprising story about a wolf desperately trying to fix the mistakes he made in the past. While I was surfing the net and brainstorming about what my first Kung Fu Panda fic would be about, I began to wonder about what would be the next step in Erdan's journey after his friend's death. The author respectively chose to end the story abruptly, with the young cub suffering a terrible loss, and I figured that the kid's story needed a happy ending, or at least something close to that. I was also intrigued by Animation Universe's decision to introduce a love interest for Zhong in "_**A Holiday Romance**_", and I realized that I also wanted to know the next step in their relationship. From there, I decided to incorporate Ani U's version of Wolf Boss and Shu into this story, and it quickly became a crucial part of the plot.

Like all of my past stories, "_**Erdan 2**_" contains several orchestral tracks from the British sci-fi series, "_**Doctor Who**_", as a way of underscoring some of the more emotional scenes. But it also contains a few tracks from the "_**Back to the Future**_" trilogy later on, as the story switches gears. Though I used "_**Doctor Who XI**_" frequently in "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_", the opening track in this story is a different, more rock and roll-y variation of the "_**Doctor Who**_" theme song, as a way of emphasizing the differences between Balto's story and Zhong's. Anyway, this story is rated T, for mild language and brief action violence. I hope you post plenty of reviews for this story, and I'll try to update chapters as frequently as I can.

_**Chapter 1: The Letter (Memories).**_

Over five hundred years ago, the sun rose over the land of Ancient China. The Planet Earth was not quite the world we know today, as the world was still rapidly changing with each century. During those days, the population of China was entirely made up of talking animals, who had formed their own villages thousands of years before. Most of these villages were inhabited by leaf-eating herbivores, who considered these towns to be a place of sanctuary - one of the few places in China where they were safe from predators.

While smaller animals like pigs, ducks, rabbits, goats, and geese lived most of their lives in peace and serenity, they were constantly targeted and bullied by the larger animals, such as crocodiles, tigers, leopards, rhinos, and oxen. But the most notorious and feared predator in China was the Asian wolf, a more vicious and aggressive relative of the North American Gray Wolf.

Wolf bandits had terrorized the peaceful country of China for decades now, especially the villages near Gongmen City, where Lord Shen and his wolf army had once resided. For thirty long years, Shen ordered his canine cohorts to regularly raid nearby towns for refined metal, so he could melt it down and craft his doomsday cannon. From there, the peacock emperor would conquer all of China. China's salvation finally came when the legendary Dragon Warrior defeated Shen, and his wolf army was slaughtered by their own leader during the final battle of Gongmen City. Ever since then, wolves across all of China had went into hiding, as they were all shamed and ridiculed for the actions of their Western brothers.

But as the sun slowly rose over the horizon, one lonely wolf pup climbed up a steep hill, knowing his destination was only a few miles away. This wolf was neither a predator, nor a thief, in fact he was the exact opposite. The fourteen year old orphan had traveled all the way from Gongmen City so he could find the legendary Valley of Peace, the one place he knew he'd be accepted for who he was, instead of what he was. It had been a long and painful journey, he was still just a child and had had to walk all the way across all of China on foot. Even for an animal with as much stamina as a wolf, it was still quite a challenge. The boy's feet ached, and he wanted more than anything to stop and rest for a bit, but he knew he couldn't - not when he was so close.

During his journey, he had been ridiculed and picked on by all kinds of animals, simply because he was a wolf. And to the eyes of almost everyone in China, that automatically made him a monster. The boy knew exactly how this great injustice had came to be, since he had lived with the man who helped create it for several months. After thirty years of giving his own species a bad name, the man's past had finally caught up with him, and it cost him his life. The boy knew he should have hated the man for what he did, but his heart ached whenever he even thought of him. Because he knew, that despite everything he had done, all the damage he had caused, the man didn't deserve to die - no one did. Still, the wolf pup tried to focus on completing his journey, as he was now almost over the last hill. Finally, the boy reached the top, and stared down at the village that laid below.

Erdan admired the Valley of Peace from afar - the home of the Dragon Warrior. Along with the Dragon Warrior, Master Shifu and the Furious Five resided inside the Jade Palace, the home of the deceased Grand Master Oogway. It was supposedly the stuff of legends, but Erdan was now only a few miles away, seeing it with his own eyes. High above the Valley, resting on top of a mountain, he could see the Jade Palace - living proof that all the legends were true. Erdan knew that it should have been the most amazing moment of his life, something he would treasure in his heart forever. But something was keeping him from enjoying it fully, something that brought him to tears everything he even thought of it. Or rather, someone. Despite his amazing achievement, Erdan was still sad inside, because he wished his friend Yu could be there to experience it with him.

As soon as the one-eyed wolf's face appeared in Erdan's memories, tears flowed down the orphan's face. Erdan had met the middle-aged wolf six months ago, back when he was only thirteen years old. Erdan became an orphan when his parents were killed by wild cats, and had traveled to Gongmen City in hopes of finding a job to support himself. After arriving, he had been harassed by a few bitter wolf soldiers, before being saved by a one-eyed stranger named Yu. Yu had kindly suggested that Erdan stay with him until he found a place of his own, the orphan had gladly said yes.

As the months went by, Erdan had begun suspect Yu was hiding something, but never questioned him about it. Instead, he had gotten closer and closer to the compassionate stranger every day, until he began to see him as his adoptive father. In the last month he spent living with Yu, the wolf had been disappearing a lot, claiming he was staying late a work, while Gongmen City was being destroyed more and more each day. Finally, Yu gave the boy a tearful good-bye, before disappearing for good. That night, Gongmen Wharf was destroyed in a fiery explosion, and young Erdan lost his best friend forever. Four days later, Erdan had received a good-bye letter hand-written by Yu, which the general had ordered one of his cadets to deliver to Erdan in the event of his death.

As tears continued to flow uncontrollably down the orphan's face, he reached into his pocket, and extracted a crumpled-up piece of paper. Even though he knew looking at the paper would bring him no kind of comfort, it was the only tangible memory he had of Yu, and he had kept it close to him ever since he left Gongmen City. By the now, the letters were a bit smudged, since the paper had been stained dozens of times by the boy's tears, but it was still mostly readable. For two-dozenth time since his friend's untimely death, Erdan read the heart-breaking letter in his mind. He could almost feel the sorrowful emotions Yu must have felt when he wrote it.

_Dear Erdan,_

_I'm so, so sorry, I know I should have told you the truth a long time ago, but I was too much a coward to ever let anyone the truth about me - the real me. I don't quite know how to say this, but I've done many wrongs in my life. I joined Shen's army after my wife and child and many of my pack were killed by pandas. I wanted revenge so badly that it blinded me into doing things no sane person would do. I've killed and tormented hundreds of people out of loyalty to a war crazed peacock and hate for life after my family and friends were slaughtered. In doing so, I dragged my pack behind me, and it turned them spiteful - I turned them into something they were not._

_Until I met you._

_You were my salvation. You reminded me so much of me when I was young and you reminded me of my own son. That might be why I took you in. You made my life worth living. You were so nice to me and you didn't judge me._

_I'm sorry, but if you're reading this, then I'm dead and Shen is defeated - just like it was foretold decades ago. I would not advise you to stay here. The people here hate wolves, and now that Shen is gone you will be ridiculed for something you hardly knew about. You don't deserve that. You deserve better, better than me. _

_There is a town in the East called the Valley of Peace. You should go there. It's where the Furious Five and Dragon Warrior live - the best Kung Fu warriors in all of China, supposedly. I fought them once and when I did I knew, I just knew I had picked the wrong side in this war. If I had been less of a coward maybe I could have been on the right side. I know you can be on the good side, I've seen how good you are at fighting. I think they would be happy to have someone as good as you. You have a strong will and you deserve a lot. I hope that you live and long happy life. _

_P.S. If you ever meet the Dragon Warrior, tell him that I'm sorry - for everything. For taking his family away from him, for almost killing him, and for that time I hammered him in the face._

_Goodbye Erdan, and Thank You._

_- Your friend, Yu._

Erdan quickly took the paper, folded it up, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He couldn't bear to look at it anymore. He wished he had just left the letter behind in Yu's empty hut when he left Gongmen City, like how he had left his bandanna behind by accident. It what he should have done. It's what most people _would_ have done. But he knew that could never let it go, no matter how much pain it caused him. The letter had been written to him by Yu right before his untimely demise, which meant that whether Erdan liked it or not, it was a part of him now. The only thing that stopped him from having a complete emotional breakdown was the same thing that had kept him going for the past six months, and that was the fact he was fulfilling Yu's final wishes.

Erdan took a deep breath, calmed himself down enough to think rationally, and started walking down the hill - his new life in the Valley of Peace was now only a few hours away.

"_**Doctor Who: Series 4 Opening Credits**_" by Murray Gold begins.


	2. Chapter 2: Paternal Instincts

_**Chapter 2: Paternal Instincts.**_

Several miles away from the hilltop where Erdan was standing, an old red panda was sitting alone in a field, his knees folded, and his eyes closed. The panda's name was Master Shifu, and this bizarre trance-like state he was in was an ancient Chinese tradition called 'meditation'. The panda did it every morning as a way of finding inner peace, and mentally preparing himself for all the challenges he knew was ahead. Specifically from his youngest pupil, a giant panda named Po.

Though the young Dragon Warrior was like a distant relative of Shifu's (since they were both different species of panda), Po's reckless actions drove the older master crazy sometimes. Still, Shifu had admitted more than once that Po was an excellent student, and an even better warrior (having defeated both Tai Lung and Lord Shen when no one else could).

As he was meditating, Shifu's ears twitched and he realized someone was coming up behind him. The old panda immediately knew who it was, since only one of his students shook the ground so much when they walked. The vibrations in the ground beneath him perfectly matched the sound of the giant panda's footsteps. "Good morning Po", Shifu said calmly.

"Good morning Master", Po replied, before bowing in respect.

"What brings you here so early? You usually don't wake up for another hour", Master Shifu observed, while turning around to greet the panda face-to-face. Shifu knew it was odd for Po to be already up at sunrise, since today was a Saturday, the day Po usually slept in. While Po and the Furious Five trained non-stop for five days of the week, they were free to do whatever they wanted on the weekends, including visit the villagers down below, or catch up some much needed rest - which Po usually did before going to visit his father.

"Well, I was sleeping like a rock, as usual, when my stomach woke me up. So I was on my way down to the kitchen, when I noticed Zhong's barracks were empty. Do you know where he went?", Po asked.

"The same place he always goes every Saturday, Shu's house", Shifu replied.

"But this early? Not even my dad is up at this hour, and he always wants to open the shop early", Po said, confused.

"Before he left, he said something about wanting to surprise Shu. After all, today is Valentines Day, a time to be with the ones you love", Shifu replied, before turning around to resume his meditation.

Po pondered the master's words for a few seconds, before wandering off. Zhong and Shu had seemed to be getting closer and closer lately, ever since their romantic dinner at the Winter Feast last Christmas. Po still found it hard to believe that someone like Zhong would ever find love, but he had been supportive of the wolf's love life ever since it started. As he walked back to the Jade Palace, Po couldn't help but wonder what the ex-soldier was doing right now, and what his surprise for Shu was.

**((()-()))**

Several hundred feet below them, a familiar gray wolf walked down the empty streets of the village. The middle-aged wolf stood over six feet tall, easily towering over many of the local villagers, and had only one good eye, having lost the other one during battle over thirty years ago. His massive size and intimidating battle scars would immediately give people the impression he was a thief - a ruthless gun-for-hire who liked to pick fights with strangers for fun. And truth be told, that was exactly the kind of person Zhong-Yu used to be, until he had met Po and the Furious Five in the previous year. They had helped him to turn his life around, and find inner peace within himself. Now he was the complete opposite of who he was before, a gentle giant - though the horrible memories of his not-so-distant past still haunted his dreams at night.

It was strange to see a wolf walking so calmly through the village, considering the notorious reputation wolves had built for themselves over the years. But Zhong had earned the villagers' trust and forgiveness months ago, and therefore they had no fear of him now - well, most of them anyway. Many parents still warned their children to stay away from him, just in case. And personally, Zhong had no problem with that. He still felt awkward walking amongst the villagers, people he used to consider easy prey only a few months ago, and tried to avoid them the best he could.

After thirty years of being hated by almost everyone in China, Zhong found it weird that everyone was being so nice to him now. Besides his new residence in the Jade Palace, Zhong mostly chose to live his new life in peace and solitude - a lone wolf if you will. Besides his girlfriend Shu, Zhong still found it difficult to share his true feelings with anyone, as it went against the ex-soldier's basic nature to show any kind of kindness or compassion.

Zhong yawned, and scratched the back of his head. He was still a bit tired from waking up so early in the morning, but a little exhaustion was worth it if it mean surprising his girlfriend on the sacred day of lovers. Besides, being tired was nothing new to him. He had went through many a-sleepless nights during his days as a guard in Gongmen City.

Zhong cradled his bundle of freshly bought flowers in his left hand, wanting to remind himself why he was in the village in the first place. The reason he had woke up so early was so he could buy a beautiful bouquet of roses for Shu, before they were all sold out - after all, it was Valentines Day, there would be a high demand for flowers that day.

The cold morning air blew in from the mountains, and Zhong shivered. The wolf only wore a vest, some sandals, a thin cotton shirt, and a pair of shorts - the normal attire for a villager. But for Zhong, the clothes still felt weird on him, wrong almost. He was still used to wearing his thick battle armor most of the time. The exterior iron shell may have been clunky and heavy at times, but it kept him warm during the winter. At least he could find comfort in knowing that spring, and warmer weather, was only a few weeks away. But the drastic change of clothes only helped to remind Zhong of his status as a normal villager now, and he sighed.

Not that he would have ever dreamed of working for Shen again, Zhong still felt a bit bored lately, like his life was missing something. Essentially, the wolf had everything, a new life, loyal, supportive friends, and a great girlfriend. But on lonely winter days like this, Zhong did miss one part of his old life - his pack. During the final battle of Gongmen City, all of his brothers and sisters had fallen at Lord Shen's hands, leaving him the only survivor of a once mighty army. He wished they could be here with him, experiencing their chance at a new life just like him. Zhong still felt guilty that he should be the one to live while they all died, as their deaths were entirely his fault. He had aligned himself and his pack with Lord Shen, and hadn't even thought to defy the peacock until it was too late to save the ones he loved.

A small tear slowly appeared under Zhong's good eye, causing it to sting a little in the cold winter air. As he wiped the frigid cold water away, Zhong tried to take his mind off his deceased troops by looking around the village. The other villagers were finally starting to wake up, and he could see a small male rabbit and his young son working on their hut's roof. Zhong quickly recognized the boy as being Fang Hao, the 14 year old village troublemaker. The boy was named Fang for his more wolf-like behavior - AKA, his eagerness to fight anyone, no matter how outsized or outmatched he was. Still, Zhong kinda liked the boy, having been a father once himself, he still had a soft spot for children. In fact, he even took in a young, orphaned wolf pup once and raised him as his own for nearly a year, before he-

Zhong quickly switched thoughts, as he realized he was bringing back memories of his past again. After being brought back from the dead by Shen's soothsayer, Zhong had made a promise to himself not to reflect on the past anymore, as he could do nothing to change his mistakes. He could only look forward to the future, and that included forgetting any memories he had of Erdan. But despite his best efforts, the boy's name resonated in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder how Erdan was doing.

But before he could allow himself to think anymore about the subject, he suddenly heard the sound of someone screaming. Zhong looked up, just in time to see Fang slip on one of his father's hammers, and fall off the roof of his hut, rapidly plunging downwards, towards the ground.

After falling for less than a second, Fang felt himself hit into the ground, miraculously surviving the whole ordeal. But it didn't take Fang long to realize that the ground shouldn't have been nearly as soft, or as furry as it felt underneath him. The rabbit boy finally looked up, and realized he was lying in one of Zhong's massive paws, while the gray wolf still held Shu's roses in his other hand. As soon as he had saw Fang fall off the roof, Zhong had sprinted over to catch him.

"Slipped and fell down again Fang? That's the third time this month", Zhong asked sarcastically, the wolf's crimson-red eyes amused.

"Um, thank you Mr. Zhong", Fang said sheepishly, obviously embarrassed. Despite the fact he was lying in the hands of an ex-criminal, and every one of his instincts were screaming at him to run for his life, Fang felt oddly comfortable sitting in Zhong's arms. The wolf's warm fur was surprisingly pleasant to the touch, and the ex-warrior gave off a sort of trusting vibe, one that immediately let the boy know he was out of danger.

"It's no problem, just be more careful next time. I won't always be around to catch you", Zhong warned, before lightly putting the boy back down on solid ground again.

"Fang!", the boy's father, Gerald, shouted, before climbing down off the roof to check on his son. "Son, are you okay?", he asked.

"It's okay dad, Mr. Zhong caught me", Fang explained, causing his father to sigh in relief.

"Thank you so much for saving my son", Gerald said, before extending his hand in a show of gratitude.

"Er, you're welcome", Zhong said awkwardly. He had to bend down slightly to reach the man's paw, and was careful to control his strength the whole time (not wanting to break the rabbit's tiny hand). This was the other reason why Zhong always felt so awkward around the other villagers. Due to his massive size and unbridled strength, everything in the village always seemed so breakable to him, including the townspeople themselves. Zhong knew all he had to do was apply a bit more pressure to the rabbit's paw, and Fang's father would be in the hospital with a broken hand for weeks.

"Is there anything I can do to repay you?", Gerald asked, his voice grateful.

"Well, you can tell me what time Shu's shop opens in the morning", Zhong suggested, still feeling a bit awkward around the man and his young son. Zhong knew that Shu owned a pottery shop just down the street, but during all his time dating the beautiful she-wolf, he had never thought to ask her what time it opened. He didn't want to disturb her, in case she was still asleep, but he also knew that the roses would wilt soon in the cold morning air.

"It should be closed today. Shu likes to take the day off for holidays, but she doesn't mind visitors. The girl always wakes up at the crack of dawn", Gerald replied.

"Really?", Zhong asked, surprised. This piece of news took the one-eyed wolf by surprise, he had never pictured Shu as being an early bird, but then again, he never thought he'd be up this early on a Saturday either.

"Yeah, I'd bet she'd be glad to see you. Especially today. I see you've even brought her a gift", Gerald continued, before winking mischievously.

At that moment, Zhong realized that both Fang and his father could see the large bouquet of roses he had just bought, tucked gently between his left arm. It didn't take much to put two-and-two together, and guess that Zhong had feeling for the young she-wolf. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhong could see the man's young son gagging silently, disgusted by the very idea of Valentine's Day. As awkwardness quickly turned into embarrassment, Zhong fought back the urge to blush, and simply nodded in reply.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed, I courted my wife, Margaret, for the first time on Valentines Day. That very same night, I asked her to marry me", Gerald explained.

"Yeah, well, neither me nor Shu is ready for such a…big commitment so soon", Zhong replied, his ability to speak slowly returning.

"Hmm, we'll see", Gerald said, before grinning widely.

This time, the urge to blush got even stronger, as Zhong realized that their conversation had somehow became about his love life, something that the wolf usually kept very private. He knew he had leave now, before he embarrassed himself any more. "Well, I don't want to keep Shu waiting, she might think I've forgotten about her or something", Zhong said quickly, before turning around and walking away.

"Good luck!", Gerald shouted after him, before chuckling.

Zhong raised his paw in a half-hearted wave, but didn't turn around again. Instead he just kept walking until he rounded a corner, and disappeared out of sight.

Gerald chuckled again, and rolled his eyes, surprised at how shy Zhong was when it came to his personal life. The irony was, that for someone who had a reputation as being such a tough guy, the wolf acted just like a love-sick puppy sometimes.

Despite the fact Zhong and his troops had stolen from their friends and neighbors only a few months ago, Fang and his father didn't hold it against him. In fact, Gerald hoped that Zhong would find happiness in his new life with Shu. Fang however, still had no interests in girls or dating, but his father knew that would all change soon enough, when he got a bit older and the hormones started to kick in.

"If you need me, I'll be inside throwing up", Fang grumbled, pretending to gag, before walking back inside his hut. Gerald chuckled, as he watched his grossed out son disappear inside. Kids could be so immature sometimes.

Suddenly, Gerald felt someone tug on the sleeve of his shirt, and turned around to see a young wolf pup standing behind him. The man was surprised for a moment, besides new residents Zhong and Shu, there hadn't been a wolf seen in the Valley of Peace for years. It seemed that lately, the wild dogs were popping up like rabbits (no pun intended, of course). The boy wore dirty, tattered clothes, and was covered from head to toe in dirt and grass. He had obviously traveled a long way, and his body was so skinny that he was practically skin and bones. "Excuse me Mr.? Can you point me in the direction of the Jade Palace?", the boy asked.

Gerald was surprised by the boy's request. He was obviously an out-of-towner, and he didn't know why the boy wanted to find the Jade Palace, but decide to respect his wishes. After all, the boy could be a scout, sent to report some kind of emergency beyond the Valley. "Sure thing little fellow, the stairs to the Jade Palace are on the other side of the village, just keep walking south and you'll find them soon enough", Gerald explained.

"Thanks", the boy replied, grinning, before walking off.

"Wait, kid! Why do you want to find the Jade Palace anyway?", Gerald asked, worried about the boy's safety. It wasn't normal for such a young kid to be wandering around the village alone, not even for a wolf pup.

The boy paused for a minute, silently debating about whether or not to open up to a complete stranger, before extracting a familiar piece of crumpled up paper from his pocket. "Because I've traveled all the way from Gongmen City to give the Dragon Warrior this note. I received this letter from a deceased friend of mine, and giving it to Dragon Warrior was one of his last requests", the boy explained, a small tear beginning to appear under his left eye.

Comprehension dawned on the man's face, and he quickly nodded, understand the boy's desire to fulfill his friend's dying wishes. "Well, I'm sure Po would be glad to have a look at it", Gerald replied.

"Po?", the boy asked, confused.

"That's the name of the Dragon Warrior, a panda named Po", Gerald explained.

"So he _does_ live here, the legends _are_ true", the boy whispered, his voice a mixture of sorrow and relief. After traveling for so long, his journey was almost over, and he could finally put the memories of his lost friend at rest.

"Kid, can I ask you one last thing?", Gerald requested.

"What?", the boy asked, curious.

"What's your name?", Gerald asked, wanting to at least know the identity of the kid he was talking to before he disappeared.

"Erdan, my name is Erdan. The last surviving wolf of Gongmen City", Erdan replied, before turning and walking away, leaving Gerald to ponder the young pup's words.

**((()-()))**

_**Author's Note:**_

The young rabbit boy who Zhong saves, Fang, was first introduced in "_**Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness**_", in the episode "_**Challenge Day**_". I thought it would be a nice touch to include him and his father in this story, as a source of comic relief - otherwise, this chapter would have been really sad and depressing. And the original character of Shu was first introduced in Animation Universe's Christmas fanfic "_**A Holiday Romance**_", though I in added the idea of having her run a pottery shop, since it also fit into this story well.


	3. Chapter 3: A Suprise Visit

_**Chapter 3: The Sacred Day of Lovers (A Surprise Visit).**_

Across town, Shu yawned, as she cracked open a few eggs, and poured them into a skillet. Just as she had done every morning since moving to the Valley of Peace, Shu was sleepily preparing breakfast for herself in her kitchen. The beautiful she-wolf hadn't gotten much sleep the night before - horrible, cryptic nightmares had plagued her dreams for the past few weeks.

She constantly dreamt of a lonely child, who had been orphaned at the age of 12, and was then cruelly ripped away from the only friend he had ever had in his life. Her dreams only got worse, as she watched him walk all across China, ridiculed by everyone he came across, simply because of what he was, instead of who he was. She had wanted to reach out and protect the boy, to take him in as her own, but she always woke up before she could offer him any kind of help or guidance.

Even though she knew it was just a figment of her imagination, Shu couldn't ignore the fact it wasn't normal to have the same dream over and over again for weeks. And the dreams themselves, they felt so vivid and emotional that they almost seemed real - like they were visions instead of dreams. But despite her worries, Shu had managed to hide the truth from Zhong for the past few weeks. She didn't want the one-eyed warrior to stay up all night, worried about her. After all, Zhong had enough problems already, grappling with his own guilty conscience everyday, she didn't need add to his stress pile.

While she was cracking open her second egg, Shu's ears twitched, and she suddenly became aware that someone else had joined her in the kitchen. At that moment, Shu realized that she had left the front door unlocked the night before, allowing basically anyone to come in whenever they pleased. As she cautiously sniffed the room, she immediately recognized the intruder's scent.

"Knock, knock", a familiar husky voice whispered gently.

"_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Shu smiled, and turned around to greet the man she loved. "Hello Zhong", she giggled.

"Hello sweetheart", the one-eyed wolf replied, before walking up to her, and hugging his beloved around the waist.

Shu knew the wolf well, after all, he had been her boyfriend for the past two months now. She had met the veteran soldier during the holiday season, and they quickly grew feelings for each other. Even after she had learned of his violent past, she had stayed by his side, indisputable proof that their love for each other was true. Zhong admitted his feelings for her during the Winter Feast, and the two went steady soon after.

"You're up early today", Shu observed.

"So are you. You should have told me you like to wake up at the crack of dawn, I would have started visiting a lot earlier", Zhong joked.

"You know me, I always like to the seize the day", Shu replied nervously, before turning around to break another egg. Zhong was becoming dangerously close to learning the real reason why she always woke up so early, and she quickly decided to change the subject. "I see you've let yourself in", she noticed.

"Yeah, about that. Why was your front door unlocked?", Zhong asked curiously.

"It's a force of habit. I used to live in a small, secluded village where everybody knew their neighbors. My parents raised me to see the best in people, so I don't feel afraid to leave my doors unlocked at night. Besides, if I lock my doors, how will anyone be able to reach me during an emergency? If the village burns down or something, I'll be the only one trapped inside my own home", Shu explained.

"Well you should be more careful. Thieves are everywhere, and they always look for the easy targets", Zhong replied, his voice concerned.

Shu turned around and frowned at the wolf, her expression both annoyed and disapproving.

Zhong studied the cross look on the she-wolf's face, and comprehension slowly washed over him. The ex-bandit quickly realized the irony of his words. "Oh, right", he whispered.

Shu rolled her eyes, and turned to check on her stove, wanting to make sure her breakfast didn't burn. Her eggs still had a few minutes left to cook. "So, what's the real reason you're here so early? Surely you didn't get up at this hour just for a social visit?", Shu asked, her own voice curious now.

Instead of answering, Zhong simply smiled, a mischievous look in the wolf's good eye. "I'll be right back", he said, before stepping outside for a minute. "Oh, and close your eyes!", he added.

Despite Zhong's strange behavior, Shu decided to play along with her boyfriend's little game, and clamped her eyelids shut. In a few seconds, she heard the sound of gentle feet padding across her kitchen floor, and knew that Zhong had returned to her.

"Okay, you can open them now", Zhong said, his voice eager.

Shu's eyes slowly slid open, and the she-wolf gasped in surprise. "No way! You didn't!", she said disbelievingly.

"I did", Zhong replied smugly. In one hand, the wolf held a massive bouquet of ruby red roses, and in the other, a huge box of chocolates. Only a few minutes before reaching Shu's house, Zhong had decided to buy some chocolates as extra measure. The gray wolf bore a huge grin on his face, as he gauged Shu's reaction.

"Zhong, this must have cost a fortune", Shu exclaimed.

"Nah, I've been saving up the money for months now, ever since we first started going out", Zhong explained, before tenderly handing her the roses.

Shu closed her eyes, raised the flowers to her face, and slowly inhaled their beautiful fragrance, letting her mind savor every last scent. Shu slowly opened her eyes, just in time to see Zhong hold up a piece of chocolate candy. "Are you hungry?", he teased lightly.

"Starving. Besides, breakfast won't be done for a while, so I see no harm in a little light snacking", Shu replied, before rubbing her stomach in anticipation.

Zhong glanced over at the stove, and saw that Shu's eggs were still frying, it would take at least another five minutes before the omelets were finished. "Ruining your appetite has never seemed so tempting, has it?", he asked teasingly.

Shu gently took the candy from his hand, and tossed it in her mouth. The chocolate slowly melted in her mouth, and slid down her throat, allowing her taste buds to savor the flavor - just as she had done with the flowers. "_Mmm_", she sighed contently. The myths that dogs couldn't digest chocolate were just that, myths. Shu had been eating chocolate her entire life and she was still in perfect health. But then again, she and Zhong weren't exactly dogs, were they?

"Thanks Zhong, you're almost making me feel guilty about hand-making your gift", Shu said, before swallowing another piece of chocolate.

"Which is?", Zhong asked curiously, while setting the remainder of Shu's flowers and chocolates on the kitchen table.

Shu smiled, and stepped out of the room for a second, before returning with a large clay object in her hand.

The fact that it was a hand-carved sculpture was obvious, and the shape should been just as recognizable, but it took Zhong's sleep-deprived brain a little while longer than usual to register the shape. Zhong stared confusedly at the sculpture, until he realized it was a giant clay heart. He could only guess how many days Shu had spent working on it, and a smile appeared on the wolf's face. "It's beautiful, thank you", he said gratefully, before politely taking it from Shu's hands and placing it on the table, next to Shu's flowers.

Suddenly, Zhong's supersensitive nose picked up the familiar scent of smoke in the air, coming from somewhere nearby. Shu gasped, and Zhong turned around just in time to see Shu's stove burst into flames. They had been so busy exchanging gifts that they had let the skillet rest on the burner too long.

Shu quickly ran around the kitchen to look for a bucket of water, while Zhong dashed outside. He returned in less than a few seconds, his paws filled with freshly-fallen snow. With a warrior's aim and precision, Zhong threw the snow towards the stove, and onto the fire. The snow quickly melted on contact, but almost simultaneously, the water extinguished the white-hot flames, canceling each other out immediately.

Shu took a minute to catch her breath, as shock turned into relief. Finally, after the danger was gone, her sense of humor returned. "I guess I'll be eating out today", she whispered.

Suddenly, an idea appeared in Zhong's head, and the wolf grinned mischievously. He walked up, and placed his paw on Shu's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't be ridiculous. I just happen to know a great cook, the Dragon Warrior, who lives just on top of that mountain. He makes the best noodles in the valley, and I hear he even does breakfast", Zhong suggested, before pointing out the window.

Shu quickly realized that the Jade Palace could be seen from her kitchen window. "I don't know, doesn't he usually sleep in on Saturdays?", Shu asked hesitantly.

"Nah, he won't mind. After all, this _is_ a special day", Zhong replied, before grinning again. He could already picture the annoyed look on Po's face when he woke the panda up just after dawn and asked him to help cook a meal for Shu. Normally, Zhong would have tried to be the gentleman and prepared breakfast himself, but the wolf knew almost nothing about cooking. After all, he was an ex-military general, not a chef.

"Alright then, besides, I'm sure Shifu has Po up by now anyway", Shu resolved. She had visited Zhong at the Jade Palace several times during the weekends (including during the Winter Feast), and knew all of his friends by hard now, including the enigmatic Master Shifu. It had been an incredible honor to meet the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. To her surprise, besides their amazing kung fu skills, they were just like regular people. In fact, Po's child-like demeanor even reminded her of her younger brother sometimes.

Shu stepped into her bedroom for a minute, and returned dressed in heavy winter clothes, complete with a hat, coat, and gloves. As they walked outside, Zhong grimly wished that he had changed into warmer clothes himself before he left the palace, but tried his best to ignore the cold. After all, nothing could ruin this day for him or Shu. Any depressing thoughts he had had about his past quickly vanished, now replaced by warmth and comfort. For the first time since his wife's death, Zhong was happy and in love again.

**((()-()))**

But unbeknownst to the canine couple, trouble was brewing just downtown. Sitting inside a shady village tavern, a large group of crocodile thieves were planning their invasion. One crocodile wore a small metal helmet on his head, so his troops could identify him as their leader. The croc's name was Fung, and he and his second-in-command were counting the minutes until it was time for them to make their next move.

"Is it time now boss?", one crocodile asked.

"It's time. Tell the guys to move out Gary", Fung replied.

"Um, I thought I already told you, my name's Gah-Ri", the smaller croc replied.

"Whatever, just go already!", Fung order impatiently.

Gah-Ri immediately obeyed, and informed the others of his boss' plan.

Fung grinned anticipantly, after laying low for the past few weeks, he had finally thought of a new plan to raid the Valley of Peace. And this time, not even the Dragon Warrior could stop him.

**((()-()))**

Po yawned, and stepped into the Jade Palace's kitchen. He had tried to go back to sleep for more than half an hour now, but it was no use. He was already wide awake, and he was probably gonna stay that way until it was time to go to sleep again that night. As usual, the Furious Five were already awake, and waiting for their chef to prepare breakfast.

"Good morning guys", Po greeted half-heartedly.

"Good morning Po, what's for breakfast today?", Monkey asked eagerly.

"Is it oatmeal?", Viper asked.

"Bacon?", Mantis asked.

"Eggs?", Crane asked.

"Noodles?", Tigress asked, deciding to join in.

"I'll think of something", Po mumbled, his voice uncharacteristically grumpy. Ever since he had first started living in the Jade Palace, the FF had appointed Po as their brand new chef. At first, Po had considered it a huge honor to cook for his idols, but he quickly realized that it meant he'd be the last one to eat at every meal. "Breakfast for six as usual?", Po asked the group sleepily.

"You'd better make it eight", someone suggested eagerly.

Po vaguely recognized the voice, and turned around to see Zhong and Shu standing in the kitchen's doorway. Zhong looked a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to wake up Po like he had been planning to, while Shu's face looked both eager and hungry at the same time - all the sleepy she-wolf had had for breakfast that morning was a few pieces of chocolate candy.

"Hey guys, what brings you back so soon? I thought you'd spend the whole day in the village", Po asked, a small smile forming on the panda's face.

Zhong grinned, as the memories of Shu's kitchen stove in flames came flooding back to him. "Shu's eggs came out a bit overdone, so we've decided to dine Chez Panda today", he explained jokingly.

Annoyed, Shu lightly slapped the back of Zhong's head, causing the gray wolf to yelp involuntarily.

Monkey giggled a little under his breath, earning him glare from Zhong, before the one-eyed wolf and his girlfriend took their places at the end of the table. Monkey knew that Zhong would probably get back at him by being extra-intense during sparring practice that day, but the little yellow langur felt the quick laugh was worth the gray wolf's scorn.

Po chuckled lightly, and started working on some pancake batter - Zhong's discomfort had improved the panda's mood already. While the Five were waiting for Po to finish, they started talking about Valentines Day, and Po listened curiously as the conversation quickly became about Zhong and Shu.

"You know Zhong, you're the luckiest guy I know", Mantis declared.

"Me?", Zhong asked surprisingly, his voice disbelieving. With all injuries and near-death experiences, Zhong considered himself to be the least-lucky wolf in all of creation.

"Yeah, you. Out of all seven of us, you're the only one who has a girlfriend. We've been warriors for years, and we're all still single, even Po, and he's the Dragon Warrior", Mantis explained, before pointing in Po's direction.

"Yeah, and you'd think the ladies would be all over him", Monkey added jokingly.

Po frowned, and the Dragon Warrior was glad when Crane changed the subject. "Mantis is right, not even Master Shifu has someone to come home to, and he's lived for almost a hundred years", Crane interjected.

Zhong pondered the Five's words for a moment, before nodding his head. Looking back on it, he had been pretty lucky in life lately. He had earned a second chance (something that not a lot of people got), found love, and earned the villagers' trust back. What should have taken years of hard work, sweat, and determination, had happened in only six months.

As Mantis' words rang in Zhong's ears, he began to picture how excited Po must have been when he first became Dragon Warrior, over three years ago now. Po must have wanted to pinch himself, refusing to believe that all his dreams could just come true overnight. For the first time since they first met, Zhong began to understand the panda.

"Yeah, I guess I am kinda lucky", he finally admitted.

Po grinned, and flipped his semi-formed pancakes. After a few minutes, the pancakes were done, and everyone dug in - including their panda chef. Soon they started talking about random small talk, how many bad guys they had beat, how many dumplings Po could eat in one sitting, and how many times Monkey had caught Po going trough his private almond cookie stash.

No matter how ridiculous their stories were, Shu was fascinated by all of it, and was surprised to find how easily Zhong fit in with the very same people he used to consider his enemies. Both he and Shu couldn't help but notice how Po and his friends' sense of camaraderie made them much more than just friends, they were practically a family - in the same way Zhong's pack used to be. This made the wolven warrior both happy and sad at the same time, as the memories of his fallen brothers slowly slid back to the front of his mind. Luckily, he was able to distract himself by listening to another one of Po's tall tales.

"So then I jumped out of his way, and Hun Dun runs right into this giant statue of me. When he finally freed himself, his horn broke off in the cement, and he's been hornless ever since. Let me just tell you this, that was the best Dragon Warrior day ever", Po happily proclaimed, recounting his adventure with a psychotic rhino named Hun Dun in the previous year.

Everyone burst into laughter (including Shu), all except for Zhong, who only raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "There's no way that really happened", he finally said.

"Oh really? Hun Dun's sitting in his cell in Chor-Gom prison right now, if you want to see for yourself", Po offered.

Zhong only remained silent, refusing to give the panda the satisfaction of an answer.

"Unless of course, you're scared?", Po challenged, raising his own eyebrow.

"_Ooh_", Monkey, Mantis, and Crane all whispered at the same time, before chuckling under their breath.

Zhong growled softly at Po's accusation, his usually well-controlled temper flaring up again. But before the wolf could come up with a snappy reply, he suddenly became aware that a ninth figure had joined them in the kitchen. He only needed to sniff the air once to recognize the new scent as belonging to his elderly mentor, Master Shifu.

"Students quickly, there's an emergency in the Valley!", Shifu explained.

Everyone quickly rose to their feet, all except for Po, who only groaned and remained seated in his chair. "So soon? But I'm not finished with breakfast yet", Po complained.

Shifu glared at the panda, and Po quickly got to his feet.

"What's the emergency master?", Tigress asked, wanting to know what she and her teammates were getting themselves into.

"Fung and his crocodile bandits are back, and they're stealing everything in the valley!", Shifu explained.

"But didn't we just beat them last month? Why would they come back so soon?", Mantis asked, confused.

"It makes sense. People let their guards down during the holidays, and thieves know that's when they're at their most vulnerable", Zhong interjected.

The last time Fung and his band of crocodile thieves had attacked the village, Zhong had been out of town, fetching a rare variety of wood for the Jade Palace's floors, per request from Shifu. But he had heard all about the croc bandits' failed raid from Po when he returned the next day. Zhong's only regret was that he had missed out on a good fight, but now it seemed like he was gonna second chance at facing the crocs.

Po chuckled, and turned to grin at Shifu. "See, this is one the benefits of having an ex-con on the team, the guy knows how all the other bandits think", Po said, his voice half-joking and half-sincere.

Both Shifu and Zhong rolled their eyes at the exact same time, before the latter sighed in defeat. Zhong knew Po was probably right to classify him as a criminal too. Technically, the one-eyed wolf should have been imprisoned for their crimes against Gongmen City six months ago, and he _would_ have been, if Shen's old soothsayer hadn't convinced the Gongman Council to give him a second chance at redemption.

"Um, what will _I_ do?", Shu asked awkwardly, still seated at the now-empty table.

"You'll stay here until it's all over. It's not safe to go back to the village right now", Zhong replied. The wolf's playful attitude had quickly vanished, and his voice was now filled with urgency and concern.

Following Zhong's gaze, Shifu glanced at Shu, acknowledging the she-wolf's presence for the first time.

Shu blushed in embarrassment, as she realized she hadn't asked the red panda's permission to visit the Palace that day. Since she was neither one of Shifu's students, nor a family member, it was considered an act of respect to ask the head of the house for permission to visit one of his or her students. It was what Shu usually did when she visited Zhong, but she had been so hungry that morning that it completely slipped her mind.

Shifu looked back at Zhong, anxiety now the prime expression on the one-eyed wolf's face. "Master, promise me that you'll keep her safe in case something happens while I'm gone", Zhong requested.

At first, Shu looked embarrassed by her boyfriend's over-protectiveness, but relaxed as Shifu nodded his head in agreement. The old master perfectly understood Zhong's need to protect the woman he loved. "I promise", Shifu replied, and Zhong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now hurry students, there's no time to waste. You have to stop Fung and his men before they escape", Shifu ordered.

"Yes master", Po, Zhong, and the Furious Five said simultaneously, before taking a quick bow, and running out of the room.

However Po ran back into the room only a second later, and glanced at Shu. "Shu, will you do me a favor, and save my leftovers for when I get back?", Po requested.

"Yeah, I guess", Shu reluctantly replied, before glancing at the half-empty plate of pancakes lying on the other side of the table.

"Thanks", Po said, grinning.

"PANDA, WILL YOU JUST GO ALREADY?!", Shifu shouted, growing impatient of his student's stalling.

Po quickly nodded his head, and disappeared down the hall, hoping there was still a chance he could catch up with his teammates.

As soon as Po left, Shu turned to look at Shifu, her expression apologetic. "Master Shifu, I am so sorry. I know I should asked if I could come here, but I forgot, and-", Shu stuttered, before Shifu raised up his finger to stop her.

"There is no need to apologize. I understand you wanting to be your loved one on Valentines Day, so I'm willing to forget this incident ever happened", Shifu said, causing Shu to sigh in relief.

"Thank you master", she said, before bowing her head in respect.

"Now, would you care to join me in a game of Mah-Jong, while we wait for my students to return?", Shifu suggested.

"Sure, but it's been a while since my last game", Shu replied, vaguely remembering her distant childhood days when she used to play Mah-Jong with her elderly grandparents.

"Don't worry, once you've played once, you never really forget the fundamentals, much like Kung Fu", Shifu reassured her, before walking off into the next room.

Shu smiled, got out of her chair, and followed the red panda into his quarters, preparing herself for what would surely be her most unusual game of Mah-Jong ever.

**((()-()))**

_**Author's Note:**_

For this chapter, I decided to introduce more of Zhong's sense of humor, because it's important to remember that, despite the fact that he's switched sides now, Zhong is still the same guy from the movie (just with a more well-rounded personality). Zhong is still a bit of an idiot, and he stills talks too much for his own good sometimes, but that's one of the reasons why we love him. And if you dig a bit deeper, you'll notice that Zhong feels more like himself when he's around Shu. It shows the most when he and Shu spend a quiet morning together, and share breakfast with their friends.

This chapter also marks the return of "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_", the musical identity that represents the Doctor and his TARDIS on "_**Doctor Who**_". Just like how the ethereal love theme symbolized Balto and Jenna's relationship in "_**Salvation, Part 2**_", it returns for "_**Erdan 2**_", to represent the unique bond Shu shares with her older lover. I'd also like to point out the references to Hun Dun and Fung, two villains from the new Kung Fu Panda TV series. I decided to include their names in this story as a way of bridging the continuity gap between the movie and the series (besides, bringing Fung into this story puts forward a whole sea of comedic possibilities).

In the next few chapters, things are gonna get pretty heavy, and Shu's gonna spend a very unusual afternoon while her boyfriend's mentor. They'll hopefully be posted next Saturday, and the story will continue to be updated in that pattern for the next few months. See you next week, The Cool Kat.


	4. Chapter 4: The Rueful Tale of Zhong

_**Chapter 4: The Rueful Tale of Zhong, the Wolf-Boss.**_

Po panted heavily, as the panda rapidly descended down hundreds of stairs. Zhong and the others were already way ahead of him, and would no doubt reach the bottom first. Normally, Po would have been the leading the group into battle, but he had to make sure Shu saved his breakfast - the panda never liked to waste any kind of food.

Over two dozens stairs below Po, Zhong, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane ran down step by step, determined to reach the valley before Fung and his men escaped. Each animal had their own unique way of running. Crane flew down the stairs, while Viper slithered, and Mantis rode on Monkey's back, not wanting to be left behind like Po. At the very head of the group, taking Po's usual place as the leader, Tigress sprinted down the steps on all four paws. Running on four feet instead of two allowed her to run twice than fast as usual, and catch up with even the swiftest of enemies.

But at the very back of the group, Zhong struggled just to keep up his with teammates. Though the wolf was an experienced fighter, and respected military strategist, he was still just a rookie when it came to Kung Fu. Wolves were great runners, and known for having a seemingly endless amount of stamina, but running down stairs meant Zhong would have to slow his pace down a little and watch where he stepped. Instead of looking ahead of him like the others, Zhong looked down towards his feet, making sure he safely placed his paws on each step. It took a lot of his concentration just to keep from tripping up and falling the rest of the way down the mountain.

As Zhong glanced ahead of him, bracing himself for the oncoming fight, he realized that his right hand was empty. He had been so focused on keeping Shu safe that he'd left his hammer back at the Jade Palace. Zhong groaned mentally, the wolf's ears flattening against his head, before sighing, and refocusing on the mission. Leaving his hammer behind meant he'd lost his advantage over the enemy, and would have to rely on his skills and experience alone, just like his leaf-eating teammates. Luckily, Zhong had also been taught by Shifu about empty-handed combat, and knew how to take down his opponents the old-fashioned way.

Zhong looked ahead of him again, and wished he could run all fours, like Tigress. Then at least, he could keep up with others, and not seem like a total weakling in front of his comrades. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, and he realized the benefits of fighting empty-handed. "_Wait, what am I doing?_", Zhong thought, mentally kicking himself for his stupidity. Since his hands were now empty, he had no reason to run on two legs like the others. Zhong leapt into the air, and hit the ground running, now using his front paws as well as the back. Now aided by a little extra thrust, he surpassed Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane in a few seconds, giving each of them a wink as he passed by. In less than a minute, he managed to catch up with Tigress, running side-by-side with the feline master. Once they were neck and neck, he flashed a toothy grin at the tiger.

"It's about time you caught up", Tigress said, grinning back.

"Hey, I may be slow, but I'm still a whole lot faster than dumpling boy back there. Where is he anyway?", Zhong asked curiously.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon", Tigress said, her voice unworried.

Zhong looked back, to see Po running on all four legs, obviously choosing to follow the wolf's example. Granted, it was helping his pace a little, and he was now covering 10 steps per second instead of 5, but he was still lagging behind by several meters. "Maybe", Zhong replied, before rolling his eyes.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, Shu yawned. So far it was only 8:00, and she had already had the weirdest morning ever. Like Shifu had suggested, she played the old master and his apprentice Zeng in a game of three-player Mah-Jong, an alternative form of Mah-Jong commonly played in Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. Despite all odds, the she-wolf had came out the victor, even though she hadn't even played the game in almost 20 years. It seemed that Master Shifu was right, she never really forgot the fundamentals her grandparents taught her. After her third game, Shu got hungry again, and excused herself so look for the remainders of her breakfast in the kitchen.

As she was walking through the palace, Shu couldn't help but notice paintings of Po and the Furious Five hung up in the hallway. She ran her paw along the wall, counting the proud faces of Shifu's students. First Po, then Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, and Viper. Shu knew that Shifu looked upon all of his students with both pride and respect, as they had proven themselves time and time again to be worthy of their titles. But Shu also knew it was more than just than skills that impressed Shifu, he also looked at them like they were children (including Po, even if the old panda would never admit it).

Shu smiled as she stared at the pictures on the wall, gazing at the six warriors who had dedicated their lives to protecting the Valley of Peace, before something strange caught her eye. "_Six? That's can't be right_", she thought, confusedly. She counted the numbers again, and confirmed that there were only six paintings on the wall - which meant one was missing. She immediately knew who it was, as she spent the last two months in love with the missing individual. Zhong's face was not among the others, which Shu knew could only mean one thing. Before she knew it, she found herself wandering further down the hallway, peeping through every door she came across, until she found what she was looking for - Zhong's room.

Shu slowly stepped inside, and stared at the room where her boyfriend slept. She had visited Zhong before of course, dozens of times, but she had never been inside his barracks before. The wolf obviously had very few physical possessions, as the room was almost completely empty. There was a small mat lying in the center of the floor, which she guessed he slept on at night. Shu couldn't imagine how uncomfortable it was to sleep on the floor, but she knew that it was better than sleeping on the cold, hard ground outside, which Zhong no doubt used to spend most of his nights on in the past.

Shu continued to look around the room, when something else caught her eye. A few large pieces of metal were hanging on Zhong's wall, along with some bundles of rope. At first, Shu couldn't figure what the strange objects were, until she looked closer and realized that it wasn't several objects, but one whole object that had been taken apart and broken down. When put together, the thick iron plates formed full-over body armor, and Shu guessed that ropes helped to hold it all together. Shu knew in an instant that it was Zhong's old uniform, something he hadn't touched in over six months.

The armor itself was very simplistic, but Shu guessed it was effective nonetheless, since the one-eyed wolf had had it for so long. Shu gazed over, and saw something that made her heart stop. On one of the wolf's shoulder plates was a small red symbol, a little red eye with flames extruding from the side. The abstract image was no bigger than an ink stain, but she knew what it was instinctively. The little red dot was a sign people all across China had feared for years. It was the symbol of Lord Shen - physical proof of Zhong's days working for the sadistic peacock.

Shu gasped, and stepped back in shock. Of course, Zhong had told her about his past before, during their first date actually. But it was one thing to hear about it, and another thing entirely to see the proof for herself. It was hard to believe that the man she loved could have ever had a hand in ruining so many lives, massacring an entire village, and almost helping a psychotic peacock take over China. She just couldn't believe that the sweet, gentle, and shy man she had met during the Winter Harvest could have ever been a ruthless murderer. But here was the proof right in front of her eyes, laid out for the whole world to see.

But the most disturbing part of it all, was that she didn't care about any of it. She didn't care that Zhong used to work for Shen, or that he had stolen from countless villages, or that he had even had a hand in destroying the Panda Village and almost killing the future Dragon Warrior. All she cared about was that Zhong was there with her now, and doing some good in the world instead of destroying it, like he had done for the past thirty years. As long as the one-eyed wolf truly felt remorse for his actions, she could forgive him for everything he'd done, just like Po and the others. Shu didn't know whether to be relieved by her love for the veteran soldier, or disgusted by how easily she shrugged off his dark deeds. Her lack of concern horrified her.

"Hard to believe it's only been six months, isn't it?", a wise voice said from behind her.

Momentarily taken off guard, Shu whirled around to see Master Shifu standing behind her, a wistful grin on the old panda's face.

"Master Shifu, I'm sorry I forgot about our Mah-Jong game, I got a little distracted", Shu apologized, blushing again.

"I see", Shifu noted, before raising his eyebrows intriguingly.

As the red panda continued to stare at her, Shu realized that she was rubbing Zhong's chest plate wistfully, fantasying in the back of her mind that the wolf was there with her right now. Hoping to take her mind off her crime-fighting loved one, Shu glanced around the room, until her eyes rested on Zhong's hammer, which laid only a few feet away from his mat. "Um, shouldn't Po and the others have taken this with them?", Shu asked confusedly.

"I'm sure they'll do just fine without it", Shifu replied, unworried.

Shu glanced back at Zhong's armor, and a question popped into her head. "Zhong retired from being a soldier months ago, so why is his old uniform still here?", Shu asked, unable to take her eyes off the ominous symbol on Zhong's right shoulder pad.

"I suspect that he keeps it here in his room so that he'll never fully forget what he did in the past. Despite his light-hearted attitude, I can tell that the guilt weighs him down everyday", Shifu replied, before walking over to Shu's side.

Shifu's answer only made Shu even more curious, and the young she-wolf found herself asking the old master even more questions. "Then how can he stand to be around Po everyday? The very same panda who's life he ruined?", Shu asked, remembering how close Zhong and Po had seemed at breakfast, like they were old friends instead of old rivals.

"It's probably because Po was the first of us to accept him after Shen's downfall. He believed in him, even when no one else could see the wolf's true potential, not even I", Shifu replied, remembering the first day he saw Zhong in the Jade Palace.

Shu glanced down at the old panda, and saw a small grin appearing on his face.

"Forgiving someone is never easy young one, and Po proved to be the strongest of us all that day. Even after Zhong helped Shen take away his family, and almost killed him back in Gongmen City, Po still took him in, gave him a home, and listened to his problems like he was a brother, not an enemy", Shifu continued.

Shu thought about Shifu's words for a minute, before glancing back at Zhong's armor. There was a large hole in the wolf's metal chest plate, and Shu immediately knew that it was the spot where Shen had stabbed him - nearly killing his own general in cold blood. "Master, if it's not too much trouble, tell me everything", Shu requested quietly.

Shifu glanced up at Shu, his expression worried. "Are you sure you want to know everything? I wouldn't want to get between what you have with Zhong", Shifu asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm sure. I feel like there's so much about him that I still don't know about, simply because I wasn't there during the final battle of Gongmen City, and I know there are some things he'll never tell me. So please. I think it's better that I hear about Zhong's past from you, his own master, than from an angry villager he robbed, or some pregnant woman he raped", Shu replied, choosing her words carefully. Part of her was terrified by what she would learn about her boyfriend that day, and she knew that once Shifu told her everything, she'd never look at Zhong the same way again, but her curiosity outweighed her fear.

"Well, if that's what you wish. Granted, Zhong has battled his share of personal demons, but I can assure you that he has never raped anyone. You're the first woman he's ever even talked to since his wife's death", Shifu said reassuringly, though his words had little effect in calming Shu.

"How much do you already know?", Shifu asked.

"Well, Zhong told me that his mother was killed by his father when he was young, Shen had fooled him into believing his own wife and kids had been killed by pandas, and that he had died to protect his troops, but that's about all", Shu replied, remembering every conversation she had had with the one-eyed wolf for the past two months.

"Then we shall start at the beginning", Shifu resolved.

"Zhong, along with most of his future troops, was born several decades ago, during the golden age of Gongmen City. He and his brothers were raised from a very young age to be guards for the king and queen of Gongman, Lord Shen's parents", Shifu explained, while Shu listened tensely.

"During Shen's childhood, he grew increasingly fascinated with his parents' wolf guards, especially the young ones, the ones who were closer to his own age. He sometimes snuck out at night to feed them and play with them while his parents were asleep, knowing that they would someday grow up to be his very own guards", Shifu explained.

This took Shu by surprise, she had never pictured the evil Lord Shen as being anything more than a sadistic warlord. "It sounds like Zhong and Shen used to be friends", she whispered, too stunned to raise her voice any louder.

"Best friends", Shifu corrected, his voice rueful.

Shu took a deep breath, before nodding her head, as a sign for Shifu to continue.

"He was especially close to Zhong, because they both thought their parents had no love for them. Zhong's father, Shing-Li, used to be the head of Gongmen City's wolf guard, and was one of the most respected wolves in China. But the man had a dark secret. Every night, Shing-Li would come home and take out his anger on his wife and kids, beating them into submission whenever they would disobey him. One night, Shing killed his wife in a violent act of rage, and abandoned his family, leaving young Zhong to forge on alone. Soon, Shen and his pack became Zhong's only friends in life", Shifu explained.

"When they both came of age, Shen appointed him head of his family's wolf guard, the same position his father used to have. Zhong was so grateful that day, that he promised Shen that he would help the young prince rule his kingdom for the rest of their lives", Shifu continued, acid slowly leaking into his voice. Shu could take by how his voice changed that the darker parts of Shifu's story were coming up.

"In fact, Zhong's exact words that were 'I would rather die than betray my best friend'", Shifu added, almost angrily. Shu quickly realized the irony of Zhong's words, and understood Shifu's anger towards the peacock.

"However, one day, all that changed. He met a beautiful young she-wolf, and they fell in love in a matter of days. In a few months, they got married and had a young son named Timber. Not long after that, they had another child, a beautiful baby girl named Julie", Shifu explained, glancing back at Shu.

"However, Zhong soon grew tired of a soldier's life, and retired at a very young age so he could spend more time with his wife and kids", Shifu continued. Shu knew this part of Zhong's story, as it was the part that always haunted her the most, and she almost wished that Shifu wouldn't continue. But still, the old red panda pressed on.

"When Shen learned he would lose his most trusted general, a dark plan formed in his mind. He hired an assassin to kill Zhong's family, as of way of breaking the wolf's heart. With nowhere else to go, Zhong soon rejoined Shen's army, and eventually came to believe that Shen and his pack were the only ones who truly cared about him. Their old friendship soon returned, as Shen pretended to look for the man who murdered Zhong's family", Shifu said.

"Meanwhile, Shen's parents still unaware of their son's dark deeds. They were son proud of the young prince that they hired a soothsayer to tell them about the boy's future. But instead of a long, prosperous life, the fortune teller predicted that Shen would be defeated by a warrior of black and white. Shen overheard them talking, and interpreted it as meaning he would be killed someday by a great warrior. And the only animals in China with black and white fur were…the pandas", Shifu continued, though pausing on the last two words.

Shu gasped, as she realized that this was the part of the story where Po came in. She had heard stories about the extinction of the pandas, and had always thought of it as a tragedy, but had never really known of Lord Shen's reasons for massacring such peaceful creatures - until now.

"Shen seeked to prevent the soothsayer's vision from ever happening, by killing every last panda in China. That night he gathered his wolf guard, and set out for the forest. Of course, Zhong was leading the mob, as it was his job, and at the time, he would do anything for his old friend, including sell his soul. And ironically, that's just what he did", Shifu continued, his voice both saddened and angry at the same time.

"But of course, that wasn't the only reason why Zhong and his men came. Shen claimed that the reason they were raiding the panda village was because he had learned that the pandas were the ones who killed Zhong's family. Zhong, of course, was furious, and wanted revenge. He let hate and anger control him so much that he even never doubted the peacock's words, and committed his first act of treason that night", Shifu explained.

"But Zhong wasn't the only one of my students who was there that night. The Dragon Warrior was there too, but was still much too young to understand anything that was happening to his friends and family. Po's father ordered his wife to take their son and escape with their lives, but Shen and his army chased them into the forest. Finally, Po's mother was able to throw them off the trail long enough to hide Po, and convince Shen that she was alone", Shifu said, a small tear appearing under his eye.

But he wasn't the only one who was affected by the story, Shu could barely control her own emotions. Shu stared at the old panda in horror, as she tried to picture Zhong ripping apart dozens of innocent, defenseless pandas, simply so he could remain loyal to a friend that would ultimately betray him in the end. "Zhong told me once that he had a hand in killing Po's mother, did he?", she whispered, unable to force out the last few words.

"Po's mother scarified herself to save Po, but Zhong wasn't the one who took her life. Killing the last panda in the village was an honor reserved for the prince alone, Zhong and his men only watched as Shen executed her", Shifu replied, his voice void and empty of emotion.

As the old panda's words washed over her, Shu's breathing slowed. In the midst of all the chaos and needless deaths, at least she find some comfort in knowing that Zhong had only had a partial hand in Po's mother's death, not a direct one. He was indeed, the lesser of the two evils, just like she had always suspected. "What of Po? What became of him", Shu asked, momentarily forgetting about Zhong, in favor of the orphan panda's childhood.

"While she was being chased by Zhong and Shen, Po's mother hid him in a crate of radishes, where he was shipped off to the Valley of Peace, and found by Mr. Ping, the owner of a local noodle shop", Shifu explained.

"Even though Po wasn't really his son, Mr. Ping raised him as his own for more than thirty years, and helped to shape the Dragon Warrior into the man he is today. Even after Po moved into the Jade Palace, and started fighting crime, Mr. Ping continues to support him, like a true father would do. And in Po's eyes, Mr. Ping _is_ his real father", Shifu continued.

Shu briefly thought back to her one of her many dates with Zhong, how they had dined in a place called Mr. Ping's noodle shop, run by a goose who Po claimed was his father. She knew that Po was closed to his adoptive father, but she had never imagined they had been through so much together.

"I never knew. I didn't know you could get so close to someone you met completely by accident", Shu whispered.

Shifu chuckled, and turned to smile at Shu. "My old teacher, Grand Master Oogway, used to have a saying. That there are no accidents, and that everything in life, both good and bad, happens for a reason. After all, just because you don't share a blood connection someone, doesn't mean that they're not your family", Shifu said, fond memories of the old Galapagos turtle appearing in his head.

"Much like the relationship you share with Master Tigress?", Shu asked, curious. Po had told her once that Shifu adopted Tigress when she was just an orphan girl, and had always been curious about how close the two masters were. She knew now, that Tigress looked up to Shifu like he was her own father, and wanted to know if Shifu felt the same way. However, the she-wolf was disappointed when the old panda simply changed the subject.

"We're getting off-topic, this discussion is about Zhong's past, not mine", Shifu said quickly. It seemed that even now, when Shifu was at his most vulnerable, he still refused to let anyone get too close to him.

Shu sighed, as she realized the panda wouldn't speak anymore about the subject. "Alright then, after the raid was finished, what happened next?", Shu asked, wanting to know more about Zhong again.

"After Shen returned to Gongmen City, he expected to be welcomed back in opens arms. But instead, his parents were horrified by what their son had become. They banished him, and everyone else who had been responsible for the massacre, from Gongmen City forever. And that included Zhong and his pack", Shifu explained.

"Still believing to have been wronged by the people of Gongmen, Zhong and his men grew more and more obedient to Shen as the years passed by. Soon, they lost all sense of free will, and stopped thinking for themselves entirely. They became nothing more than pawns in Shen's scheme to conquer all of China. But Zhong was still so angry and jaded by his family's death that he ignored what both he and Shen were becoming. During their exile, Shen had Zhong and his men raid nearby villages and steal refined metal, so that he could melt it down and use it in his doomsday canon. After thirty years, the canon was nearly finished, and Shen sent them on one last raid - to the Valley of Peace", Shifu continued.

Shu froze, as she realized that Zhong's story was reaching it's end. She had heard about the wolves' raid on the Valley, from both Zhong and the other villagers. Even though it had only happened less than six months ago, Shu knew that it was the most important part in Zhong's life. Because it had been more than just another raid, it was the day both his and Po's lives would change forever.

"I sent my students to fight them off, and Po was left injured in the battle. But the symbol on Zhong's sleeve woke something in Po, and the Dragon Warrior began to remember his childhood again for the first time in thirty years", Shifu said, his voice heavy.

Shu glanced at Zhong's uniform, and stared at the symbol of Lord Shen again. It was unbelievable how such a small little image could change so much.

"When my pupils arrived in Gongmen City to stop Shen, they were captured by Zhong and his army. They were taken as Shen's prisoners, and the Dragon Warrior almost perished in his pursuit for answers about his past", Shifu said, finding it harder and harder to continue with the story, as he remembered Po's horrific near-death experience.

"Finally, after Shen's soothsayer helped him to remember everything, Po found inner peace within himself, and managed to vanquish Shen. While Zhong and his men…", Shifu continued, his voice trailing off at the end.

Shu immediately knew why Shifu didn't want to continue. The final battle of Gongmen City had been a horrible night for everyone involved, and she didn't need to know the gory details of Zhong's death. Shu suddenly became aware that she was crying, small tears of sadness rolling down her cheek at the very thought of her one-eyed lover's death. The she-wolf nodded, wiped her eyes, and waved her paw for Shifu to continue.

"After we returned to the Valley of Peace, we thought it was over. We thought that Shen and all his soldiers had died in battle, and that we could finally put the whole ordeal out of our minds. But we were wrong, and I've never been more happy about being wrong", Shifu said, a small glimmer of happiness reappearing in his voice.

A small grin began to appear on Shu's face, as she realized that, after years of darkness and death, Zhong's story was about to take a lighter turn.

"In the aftermath of the battle, the royal court of Gongmen fished Zhong's body out the wreckage and handed custody over him to Shen's soothsayer. After she was able to bring him back to life, she advised him to find inner peace by seeking the Dragon Warrior's forgiveness, and he did. Once he was strong enough to walk again, she let him go free, and he set out for the Valley of Peace", Shifu explained.

Shu cocked her head, and listened to the story intently. There were a few details Shifu mentioned that not even Zhong had told her. She was curious about how Shifu knew everything about Zhong, since the one-eyed wolf refused to share his past with anyone.

"About a month after we returned to the Valley, Po found Zhong hiding in a dark alley, and against all odds, found enough peace in his heart to forgive him. But my other students weren't quite as…forgiving as their Dragon Warrior", the old panda continued.

"How so?", Shu asked, curious.

"After they made up, Po tried to hide Zhong in one of the Jade Palace's spare rooms, the very same room we're sitting in now actually, but Master Tigress soon found them, and, well…", Shifu explained, his voice trailing off at the end.

Shu nodded, understanding immediately. She knew Tigress well enough by now to know about the feline master's short temper, and could only imagine how Tigress had reacted when she found Po trying to hide one of their enemies in their own home. "What about you? What did you think?", Shu asked.

"In the beginning, I shared the same opinion as my students. When I first found Zhong hiding in the Jade Palace, I was furious. After everything he and his pack had done to my students, I couldn't believe that he would even have the nerve to set foot in our home. And I would have liked nothing more than to have thrown him out and sent him off to prison where he belonged. But Po somehow managed to change my mind. He convinced me that Zhong truly meant what he said, and that the only thing he wanted was a chance at forgiveness. And when I looked into Zhong's eyes, something in them told me that he was telling the truth", Shifu explained, turning to smile at Shu.

"I see that same look in his eye everyday. It's what he look likes whenever he's feeling guilty about something", Shu replied, connecting to the old master's experience.

"Indeed. However, I still warned Po that if Zhong made one wrong move, he would be immediately ejected from the palace, and the dragon warrior himself would be held accountable for the wolf's actions. As a way of seeing whether of not Zhong had meant what he said, I had him spar Master Tigress to see if he had gained any sense of self-control", Shifu continued.

"Wait, you had him do what? Why would you do that?", Shu asked alarmingly, her eyes widening in shock. She couldn't imagine Zhong going up against someone like Tigress, and surviving the attempt.

"I admit that part of me was still angry with Zhong and simply wanted to see my pupils put him back in his place, but the wolf took me by surprise that day. Not only did he hold his own against one of my most experienced students, but he actually started to gain the upper hand. That was the first time I saw what Po had already seen, potential", Shifu reassured her, smiling at the memory.

"That night, when we eating dinner, I didn't see the one-eyed monster we had met in Gongmen City, but a kind soul who desperately wanted to redeem himself for the mistakes he had made. Even though I was still reluctant to trust him, I began to realize that Zhong indeed had a heart, and could become a true force for good, if he had what it took to stick to his decisions", Shifu continued.

"The next day, I decided to test Zhong's sense of integrity again, by sparring with him myself", Shifu explained.

Shu gasped, not knowing whether to feel sorry for Zhong or Shifu.

"Once again, the wolf's skills surprised me. He was a fast learner, picking up on things almost as fast as the Dragon Warrior had when I first trained him", Shifu reassured her again, fondly remembering the day he had first realized he could use food as a way of training Po.

"But I could sense sadness within my seventh pupil, and I knew something else besides his pack's death was bothering him. When a gang of boars attacked the village, Zhong managed to chase them all away, but even that still didn't earn my students' respect. It was a devastating blow for someone who had been feared and rejected all their life", Shifu continued, as a small tear formed under Shu's eye.

"Later that day, I spoke with Zhong and got him to confess his fears. It was then I truly knew he had changed", Shifu said.

"How?", Shu asked.

"Because that was the first time I ever saw him cry", Shifu replied simply.

"How is that a way of knowing if someone's changed? People cry all the time", Shu asked, confused.

"Please don't take this as an offense Shu, but the reason you think that way is because you are a female, one who's lived a normal life in a safe little village. But a soldier like Zhong never cries, because it's not in a wolf's nature to let anyone know about their sensitive side. When you've suffered as much loss and death as Zhong has, it's much easier to just bury your feelings deep down inside and put on a façade of being tough and fearless than to risk letting yourself get close to someone, only to be rejected by them later on. By letting his guard down to me that day, Zhong was going against everything he and his pack had learned over the past thirty years. He was practically fighting his own nature, and that took a lot of inner strength", Shifu explained.

Shu nodded her head understandingly, she was beginning to understand the old panda's wise words now.

"Zhong admitted that his worst fear was that no one would ever forgive him for the things he had done, and that he would have live with his guilt forever. I knew then that something inside him had already changed, and that it wasn't because of us, or Po, or the soothsayer, or even his pack's death", Shifu continued.

"What are saying? That you think someone or something had already had a hand in changing Zhong, even before Shen's downfall?", Shu asked confusedly.

"Exactly. Zhong had already made two life-changing decisions, even before he came to Jade Palace. He chose to defy Shen for the first time, and he chose to heed the soothsayer's warnings, and seek forgiveness. That alone meant that he had already regained some sense of compassion, and that sort of change doesn't just happen overnight. So it must have happened sometime between his raid on the Valley of Peace, and the final battle of Gongmen City", Shifu explained.

"Then who, or what, changed him?", Shu asked.

"I don't know. In all my time with Zhong, that's the one thing he's never told me or any of my students. Zhong is still so ashamed of his past that I think it actually hurts him to even think about it, and I would never put him through so much heartbreak again just to satisfy my own curiosities. Zhong will tell us the rest of his story when he's ready", Shifu replied.

"So, after you spoke with Zhong, what happened next?", Shu asked, her own curiosity flaring up again.

"Zhong had a sort of epiphany. Later that day, he spoke to the Dragon Warrior about his past, and let someone else see the real him for the first time. Master Tigress overheard them talking, and forgave Zhong as well. I think she understood what it was like to have a past that you're ashamed of, having been an orphan herself once", Shifu continued.

Shu glanced out of Zhong's bedroom, and looked at the painting of Master Tigress hanging in the hallway. Shu knew all about the tiger's painful past, as Po had told her about the origins of all his friends. At that moment, she really felt sorry for the female warrior, and made a mental note to befriend Tigress sometime in the future.

"Over the next few days, with my students' support, Zhong's skills continued to improve, and he started to use his real name again, something that had been almost lost during his days working for Shen. For the first time, Zhong was not ashamed to let people know the real him", Shifu said.

"His perseverance once again impressed me. One morning he woke up early, and I found him training by himself and learning how to meditate. It seemed that I had made the right decision in giving the wolf a second chance, and that the Dragon Warrior did have a good judge of character after all", Shifu continued.

"Soon, he consulted me again about his past, and about the grudge he held against his father. I suggested that he let go of his anger, but my apprentice Zeng informed us both that Zhong's father died ten years ago, and it sent him into a spiraling depression. Before I knew it, Zhong was blaming himself again for being too late to forgive his father, and disappeared from the Jade Palace. When he returned the next day, he said he had finally forgiven his father, and found peace in his heart, just like Po had after forgiving him. In the days that followed, my other pupils finally forgave him, and they grew even closer as a team", Shifu continued.

"Whoa", Shu whispered, finally beginning to understand why Po, Zhong, and the Furious Five were all so close.

"But as you know by now, in the Valley of Peace, trouble is always lurking somewhere nearby, just waiting to strike. The boars that Zhong fought earlier returned to the Valley to seek their revenge on the one who banished them. Me and my students were greatly outmatched, leaving it up to Po and Zhong to save the village. If I still had any doubts about Zhong's integrity, they vanished after that day. Not only did he fight side-by-side with the Dragon Warrior, but they depended on each other, working together for the very first time. The boar gang was defeated, and the Valley was soon rebuilt", Shifu proudly proclaimed, another smile appearing on his face.

"A few months later, the Gongmen City council arrived, in hopes of taking Zhong back to the city to resume his old job as a guard. But Zhong had already made up his mind on staying at the Jade Palace, and respectively declined", Shifu continued.

"Why? I thought that was what he wanted, the people of Gongmen City to forgive him?", Shu asked, confused.

"He thought he did. But he had been a guard all his life, both an honest one and a rogue one. Violence and killing was all he had ever known. But here he had finally found a home, with good friends and family. And I understand him not wanting to give it up after he had just found it. Besides, if he had left the Valley, he would have never have met you", Shifu replied, grinning now.

Shu smiled, and glanced back at Zhong's armor again. It was almost as if the old Zhong never existed, and that the broken armor lying on the wall was nothing more than a ghost of the wolf's former self. Suddenly, Shu remembered something strange she had noticed before. "You say that Zhong's one of you now, but his picture isn't on the wall with the others. You still don't see him as part of team yet, do you?", Shu guessed.

"Neither does he, I think. He's never objected to it, and he spends more time alone than he does with the other warriors. I think he's still afraid to let anyone get to close to him, in fear of losing them again. You saw how he told you to stay here where it's safe, instead of risking your life in the valley", Shifu replied, his voice thoughtful.

"Well, that's just silly, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself", Shu scoffed.

"Like I said, Zhong is protective, it's an important part of his personality that's resurfaced ever since he joined us six months ago. He even cares about what happens to children again now", Shifu replied.

"He didn't before?", Shu asked, curious.

"When Po was fighting him in Gongmen City, he once tried to use a crate of children to slow him down", Shifu simply replied.

Shu stepped back in shock, and Shifu gently took her hand. "Like I said before, the Zhong you know now is different than the one we met in Gongmen City. You don't have to worry about him hurting you. He's more like the Zhong that Shen befriend thirty years ago", Shifu reassured her.

Shu breathed a sigh of relief. She had been so afraid of learning about Zhong's past, in fear that she would start seeing him as a monster. But all she saw now, as she looked at Zhong's armor, was what she had already seen dozens of times before - the same shy, goofy, one-eyed wolf she had met during the holidays. And nothing would ever change that. "Thank you for everything Master Shifu", Shu said gratefully, before bowing to the old master in respect.

"It was my pleasure young one. Any friend of my students is a friend of mine", Shifu replied, before bowing back.

"Hey, when Zhong and the others get back, what do you say we talk to him about that little painting problem?", Shu suggested, before glancing in the hallway again.

"He'll probably just say no. I doubt he has the patience to hold still long enough for the artist to finish painting", Shifu replied.

"In that case, we should probably make it a group painting, so no one feels left out. Who knows? Maybe it could be a bonding experience, and a lesson to all your students about patience", Shu said jokingly.

Shifu chuckled, and walked up to the she-wolf. "I can tell that you and Zhong are going to make a wonderful couple", he said happily.

"I don't know, I have a tendency not to commit to someone until they put a ring on my finger", Shu joked.

But before Shifu could reply, Zeng stepped into hallway, a look of annoyance on the duck's face. "Guys, I've been waiting for 10 minutes now, are we gonna continue this Mah-Jong game or not?", he asked impatiently.

"Coming Zeng!", Shu and Shifu replied at the same time, before grinning each other.

**((()-()))**

_**Author's Note:**_

This is the first chapter I've posted since last week. Having Shu be alone at the Jade Palace with Master Shifu was a rare opportunity that I decided to take full advantage of. Instead of jumping right to the action scenes, I decided to slow down this story's momentum for a bit, and save the real heavy stuff for the next chapter. Instead, for Chapter 4, I examined Zhong's character a bit more before continuing on with Erdan's story. After all, our wolf boss is going to have make some pretty difficult decisions soon, and readers need to know exactly what kind of person he is, so they can understand the reasons behind his choices - no matter how extreme they may seem.

This was also a chance to show a more light-hearted side of Master Shifu. Even though Shu isn't one of his students, the old panda seems a whole lot more open to her than he usually is to strangers. Maybe because he's just polite, or because he sees Shu as Zhong's possible future wife. Either way, I think Shu has found a new friend in the Valley of Peace, and in one of the most unusual of places. I look forward to writing more chapters about Shu and Shifu in the future.


	5. Chapter 5: Revelations

_**Author's Note:**_

Hey everyone, it's The Cool Kat again, and this is chapter that you've all been waiting for - Zhong meets Erdan. My apologies for the long gaps between chapters. Between schoolwork and my personal life, I only have time to write 1-2 chapters per week (I'm sure most of you can relate to that). Plus, I have to try and pace myself so these chapters turn out right. Before I begin, I'd like to thank all of you for posting so many reviews about this story, especially Animation Universe 2005, who's been following this story chapter-by-chapter. Thanks Ani, you've been giving me enough confidence to keep going, and that makes you more than a good friend in my book. Anyway, enough about me, on with the story.

_**Chapter 5: Revelations.**_

Erdan yawned, and looked down at the dozens of red apples that where laid out before him. The young wolf was standing in the middle of a farmer's market, trying to decide how many apples he would buy.

He had initially planned on going straight to the Jade Palace, but eventually realized that he was still too weak to make the climb that day. The boy was determined to finish his journey, but even he knew that he would to need to eat and rest again before he could even think about climbing up a thousand stairs. He would have to find a hotel or boarding house to stay in for the night, but right now he still had a one more decision left to make.

"I guess I'll have five, some for today, and some for tomorrow", Erdan decided, yawning for the second time as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

Mrs. Yung, the old goat lady who owned the stand, nodded and placed five ruby red apples in a large burlap sack.

As she was counting, a glacial wind blew in from the mountains, and Erdan shivered as the subzero winds pounded against his bare neck. Mrs. Yung couldn't help but notice but the wolf cub's discomfort, and she stared concernedly at the boy. "Why are you are not wearing a scarf?", she asked, confused.

"I can't afford one. I used to wear bandanna, but I lost it a long time ago", Erdan explained, before yawning for a third time.

"You seem tired young one", Yung observed.

"You don't know the half of it", Erdan replied sleepily, before reaching into his satchel for money. Inside the boy's pack was a long wooden bow, some arrows, and the money he had been looking for. After placing his apples into the sack, the boy handed Mrs. Yung the money he owed her.

"I see you're an archer", Mrs. Yung noticed, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's just a hobby. But during my travels, I've had plenty of time to practice, six months actually", Erdan replied. It had been a long time since the boy had talked to anyone, and he was always open to some friendly conversation.

The old goat finally began to realize why the boy was so tired, as she stared down at his dirty, ragged clothes. "Six months? Don't tell me you walked all the way here from Kong Wolf City?", Mrs. Yung asked, surprised.

Erdan hesitated before answering, he always hated it when someone asked him that question, because he knew that once he answered, they'd never look at him the same way again. "No, I'm actually from Gongmen City", Erdan replied, before studying the goat's face intently.

Mrs. Yung gasped lightly, and half a dozen expressions washed over her face in less than a second - shock, fear, curiosity, disbelief. The old woman didn't need to speak, Erdan already knew what she was thinking. The same conclusions that everyone always jumped to whenever they found out where the boy came from. Was he a thief? Was he a murderer? Was he the son of one of Lord Shen's wolves? Did he use to be a part of Shen's army himself? Was he there to rob the village and avenge his old master? Would he kill her right there on the spot? The questions themselves were ridiculous enough, but the worst part was that every time someone brought up the subject, it only reminded him Yu. Erdan sighed, and waited for the woman's shocked state to wear off.

Finally, the old goat regained her ability to speak. "So, does that mean that you're related to…?", the woman asked slowly, before she was abruptly cut off.

"No", Erdan replied dryly, all emotion gone from the boy's voice.

Mrs. Yung flinched slightly, and guilt quickly washed over Erdan. "I'm sorry m'am, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. But I've been hearing the same accusations for the past six months, and it's so frustrating to be a called a thief all the time, for something I had nothing to do with", Erdan apologized.

Erdan flinched mentally, as the memories of his one-eyed friend appeared in his mind again, tugging at his heart strings. Because he knew his words were only half the truth. He may not have had anything to do Shen and Yu's crimes, but he had been best friends with Shen's top general, and in the boy's own eyes, that made him guilty by association. Maybe he really was no better than what the people thought he was.

The goat's face quickly became apologetic, and she nodded her head. "I understand. Everyone thinks that just because you're a wolf, that makes you a thief and liar. When you're really just a boy, one who's suffered through things that no one should ever have to go through alone", Mrs. Yung replied.

Before Erdan could reply, another goat, this one a male, ran up to Mrs. Yung's stand, his expression urgent. "Lila, there's trouble downtown! Fung and his gang are attacking the village!", the goat shouted.

Mrs. Yung gasped, while Erdan reached into pack, quickly extracting his bow and his arrow. "Where are they?", the boy asked, his voice determined.

"Don't risk it kid, the Dragon Warrior and his friends will take care of it, they're on their way right now", the goat replied.

"Is Zhong with them Howard?", Mrs. Yung asked, curious.

"Of course. The guy hasn't missed a single fight since he last left town", Howard replied.

"Wait, who's Zhong?", Erdan asked, confused.

"Only Master Shifu's seventh pupil, and he has been for the past six months now", Howard replied.

Erdan looked at the two old goats, still confused.

"Wait, kid. You mean to tell me that you're a wolf and you're from Gongmen City, but you don't know who Zhong is?", Mrs. Yung asked, shocked.

"Should I?", Erdan asked. Whoever Zhong was, the man's name had no meaning to the boy.

Before Mrs. Yung could explain, the sound of someone screaming echoed from across town. Erdan's heart stopped, as he realized that people were in danger, and the Dragon Warrior still hadn't arrived yet. "I don't have time for this. If the panda's late, then I'll have to handle this myself until he gets here", Erdan growled.

"Kid, don't do this! You'll get yourself killed!", Howard warned, practically begging.

Erdan stared at the two elderly goats, a small smile beginning to appear on the boy's face. The two senior citizens had only just met him, but he could already tell they were sincerely worried about his safety. It was the first time anyone had cared what happened to him since he first met Yu.

"Don't worry, I've been training in Kung Fu ever since I left Gongmen City, I'll be fine", Erdan reassured them, before turning and running down the street.

"Do you think he'll be okay Lila?", Howard asked.

"I sure hope so", Mrs. Yung whispered, terrified for the boy.

Erdan raced down the street, determined to help the Dragon Warrior and his friends in any way that he could. He knew he was both outsized and outmatched by the croc bandits. He knew that he was running into danger. He knew that he would be risking his life. But he also knew that he was a wolf, and that it was his duty, no, his sworn birthright to protect people who couldn't protect themselves. It was what Yu would have wanted for him, if he was still alive.

Erdan gasped, as he realized that Yu's letter was still in his pocket, and he was racing to meet up with the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five at that very minute. He wouldn't have to climb a thousand stairs after all, he could just give the panda Yu's note once they were finished fighting. Erdan panted, he was still exhausted from his travels, but he knew he couldn't rest now - not when the people of the Valley of Peace needed him. It was time for the boy to bring honor back to the word 'wolf'.

**((()-()))**

The scene downtown was chaotic. Crocodiles were breaking down doors and smashing in windows, stealing everything they could get their claws on. Some stuffed their burlap sacks with jewelry, some with money, and some even stole small furniture from the villager's huts. For a bandit, anything was fair game.

Zhong and the Furious Five finally stopped running, and took in the chaotic scene surrounding them. Fung and his men had tried to rob the village before, bur they had never been so bold before, so cocky and overconfident. Several crocs even passed by the six Kung Fu warriors, as if they hadn't even seen them as a threat.

"Whoa", Monkey whispered, his voice disbelieving.

Zhong looked on in horror. The crocs' riot was beyond chaos. It was madness. Complete and utter madness. Fung and his men were hurting villagers, stealing their most valuable possessions, and ruining dozens of innocent lives. And the worse part was that they didn't even care. So long as they profited from their dark deeds, the fates of their victims were of no importance to them.

A year ago, Zhong used to look at the world in the same jaded way, and look where it got him. A stab wound in his chest, and his clan dead and buried in the ground. Seeing the crocs on a rampage reminded him of his raid on the Musician's Village, and his time working for Shen. His ignorance had cost him and his pack so much, and it infuriated him to see someone else making the same selfish mistakes. Zhong growled, anger boiling within him. After fate granted him a second chance, he had vowed to the protect the Valley of Peace at all costs, and he wouldn't let history repeat itself again.

As Zhong began to grow more and more angry, Po finally caught up with his teammates, panting heavily. "Hey, thanks for waiting guys", Po frowned. To the panda's surprise, no one answered. Po gasped, as he finally noticed the village riot happening all around them. He then turned towards his wolven friend. "Zhong, what do we do?", Po asked urgently.

Po's question shattered the gray wolf's anger, and he turned to stare at Po confusingly. Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Crane, and Viper all shared Zhong's shocked expression, as he spoke his confusion. "Why are you asking me? You're the leader of this team", Zhong asked.

"Yeah, but like I said before, you know more about how the underworld works than any of us. So what do we do?", Po explained.

Zhong thought about Po's question for a second, before scanning the village. He briefly remembered his first fight with Po and the Furious Five, and how easily they had defeated his men. After all, they were just soldiers, who weren't nearly as experienced as their leader, and Zhong had barely known any Kung Fu himself at the time. The Dragon Warrior and his friends would have won that day, if Zhong hadn't managed to distract Po and hit him in the face with his mallet. The wolf boss had once again managed to bail out his troops from a failing raid. Ironically, Zhong now knew that going to prison that day would have been far better fate than what awaited him and his pack when they returned to Gongmen City. However, as painful as the memories of his past were, he tried to focus on the problem at hand. He could use his experience as a thief to help people now, instead of hurting them.

"The only way to stop a gang is to take down it's leader. We have to find Fung before anyone else", Zhong resolved.

"Alright, that should be easy enough. He'll be at the head of the mob, leading his troops as usual. Let's get going!", Po ordered, before running into the middle of the mob, taking down as many crocodiles as he could along the way. Zhong and the others followed suit, determined to make the Valley safe again.

**((()-()))**

On the other side of town, the crocodile in question was leading his gang, just as Po said he would. He was currently in the middle of robbing a helpless family of rabbits, the Hao family. Right now, he was standing in their living room, threatening the lady of the household. "Give me all the money in your purse lady!", Fung ordered, his patience growing thin.

"Never!", Mrs. Hao replied, while clutching her purse close to her chest.

Her husband quickly stepped forward, placing himself between her and her attacker. "I would rather die than let you steal from my wife!", Mr. Hao shouted angrily.

"Look here bunny boy, I don't want to have to hurt you, but if you don't get out the way, I will step on you", Fung replied, unworried by the little man's threats.

Suddenly, the man's son ran up to the croc, a sling-shot dangling from his right hand. "Stay away from my mom and dad!", Fang ordered, unfazed by the five-to-six foot crocodile standing before him.

Fung rolled his eyes at the boy. "What is with this family? It's like they don't know when to give up", Fung muttered, before turning to smirk arrogantly at his second-in-command, Gah-Ri.

Annoyed, Fang picked up a rock, and threw it directly at Fung's head.

"Ow! Darn it!", the angry croc shouted, while rubbing his sore forehead.

Fang chuckled triumphantly, before he felt himself being lifted up into the air.

Fung scowled, and held Fang only a few inches from the boy's terrified parents. "Like I was saying, give me all your money lady, or the little brat gets it!", Fung threatened.

Fang's mother shuddered, terrified for her son's safety, before she reluctantly held her purse forward.

Fung's eyes gleamed greedily, as he reached out and stuffed the woman's purse into his burlap sack. Holding up on his end of the bargain, Fung released Fang from his grip, roughly dropping the rabbit boy on the floor. "It was a pleasure doing business with you m'am", Fung taunted, before laughing smugly.

"Hold it right there!", someone shouted.

Fung turned around, to see Po and the Furious Five standing behind him, each with the same fierce expression on their faces.

"You're gonna give that woman's purse back!", Po ordered.

"Try and make me panda! We've been learning some kung fu moves of our own since the last time we met. Gary?", Fung beckoned, grinning confidently.

Gah-Ri picked up a large wooden board, and broke it in half over his forehead. The crocodile never even flinched from the impact.

Po gulped, it seemed Fung wasn't bluffing that day. But the panda quickly composed his face and grinned. "No matter, you're still no match for the awesome bodacity of the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five", Po replied.

Before Fung could reply, something (or should I say, someone) cut him off. "Po, your 'awesomeness' is in my way. Could you please move?", an impatient voice asked sarcastically.

Fung stared at the panda and his friends, confused as to who the voice belonged to. After all, there were only six kung fu warriors in the Valley, and they were all in plain view.

"Oh, sorry Zhong", Po apologized, before stepping a few feet to the right.

As soon as Po stepped to the side, Fung and his men all gasped. Standing only a few feet away from the panda was a large one-eyed wolf, who bore an expression of both annoyance and anticipation. Fung already knew who it was. He had heard the rumors that Lord Shen's old general had joined forces with Po and the Furious Five, but he had never believed them. After all, who had ever heard of a wolf fighting side-by-side with a panda? The last time they had raided the valley, Fung hadn't seen any one-eyed wolves, and chalked the rumors up to be just that - rumors. But here he was now, standing only a few feet away from the croc bandit.

Even though he wasn't that much smaller than Zhong, Fung's first instinct was step back, before composing himself, determined not to let Po and his friends see his fear. "So the rumors are true", Fung observed, trying to sound as fearless as possible.

Zhong glared at the croc, until he noticed the small family of rabbits that were standing only a few feet away. "Fang?", Zhong exclaimed.

"Zhong?", Fang asked, surprised.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me. This kid is like a magnet for trouble", Zhong muttered to Po.

"Look who's talking, most people only die once", Fang retorted, annoyed.

"Oh, burn!", Mantis chuckled.

"He totally got you on that one dude", Po chuckled, to Zhong's annoyance.

"Boys, focus! We've got a family to save, remember?", Viper reminded them, while rolling her eyes.

"Right, right", Po stuttered, before quickly resuming his warrior stance.

Zhong turned to glare at Fung again. "Like my friend said, you're going to drop that purse", Zhong said, while growling at the crocodile through clenched teeth.

Fung flinched slightly, before chuckling nervously. "Was that supposed to intimidate me? We can still take you and your lap dog", Fung taunted.

Zhong snarled, and curled his paws into fists. He glanced at Po, waiting for his panda leader to give the order to attack.

Po shrugged at Fung's words. "Alright guys, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way, again", Po resolved.

"Hey, that's my line! You can't just-", Fung exclaimed angrily. However, the croc never had time to finish.

"_**Doubleback**_" by ZZ Top begins.

Po, Tigress, Zhong, Monkey, Mantis, Crane, and Viper all jumped forward in the same instant, all of them targeting Fung and his men. Each animal had their own way of fighting, but each technique was just as effective.

Viper wrapped herself around a crocodile, and quickly squeezed him into submission, causing the reptilian thief to drop his burlap sack full of loot.

Croc after croc charged at Po, but the panda only deflected them with his body fat, while Tigress punched her way through the crowd. It wasn't much of a technique, but it worked in Po's book.

"Go Po!", Fang cheered, watching the brawl from the other side of the room. Even his parents were rooting for the Dragon Warrior and his friends. After all, the croc bandits had threatened their family, and now it was personal.

Monkey leapt off a nearby bookshelf, onto unsuspecting crocs, before banging their heads against the floor. Climbing was like Monkey's second nature, and it reminded him of swinging on vines in the jungle.

But while Monkey attacked from above, Mantis worked from beneath, appearing underneath several crocs' feet and paralyzing them before they could run. It was a bit hard to reach the bandits' pressure points because of their scaly skin, but Mantis was still all over them.

Much like Monkey, Crane chose to attack from above, using his ability to fly as an advantage over his reptilian opponents. Several crocs threw arrows at Crane, but the bird only deflected them on impact, using his wings like they were shields.

In the midst of it all, Zhong was taking down croc and croc, much like Tigress, choosing to use to his strength and agility to his advantage. Several crocs tried to throw punches at him, but the one-eyed wolf dodged every one of them, while returning a few of his own.

Po turned to Zhong, the panda's expression urgent. "Zhong, get the Hao family out of here!", Po shouted.

Zhong nodded and ran towards a nearby corner, which the Hao family had been backed into. The wolf immediately turned his attention to the youngest member of family. "Come on Fang, you and your family have gotta get out of here", Zhong said, before outstretching his arms.

Fang nodded his head in silent compliance, before leaping into one of the wolf's massive paws, followed by his father. The two rabbits easily fit inside the wolf's paws, as they were both only one-third of the wild dog's size.

"Hop on mom!", Fang shouted excitedly.

"Come on Margaret!", Mr. Hao shouted.

Mrs. Hao hesitated for a moment, looking at the one-eyed wolf, and then at her living room full of crocodile thieves. She was torn between the two dangers - risking her life in her own home, or putting her fate in the hands of a known criminal. She stared at the crocs destroying her home, and then at Zhong. Everything about the wolf terrified her, his one good eye, his knife-like teeth, his claws, his scars. Even though she knew staying would be like a death sentence, she couldn't make herself trust a killer.

"Mom, please! We've got to go!", Fang begged, his voice desperate.

"Mrs. Hao, you have to trust me!", Zhong insisted, his expression pleading.

Mrs. Hao looked up, staring at the wolf's one good eye. It was almost as if she was looking directly into his soul. Instead of evil and bloodlust, all she saw in his crimson iris was sincerity. Just like Shu and Shifu, once she had looked within him, she couldn't deny the wolf was telling the truth. The frightened rabbit slowly stepped forward, and jumped into Zhong's paws, reluctantly joining her husband and son.

Zhong smiled, and quickly ran outside, not slowing down until he reached the end of the street. He gently set the rabbits back down on the snowy ground, and gave them one last word of advice. "The raid is happening all over the village. You and your parents find somewhere safe and hide there until this all over", Zhong advised.

"Will do Zhong!", Fang replied, before raising his hand to his forehead in a military salute.

Zhong smiled, and saluted Fang back, while the boy's parents watched from a few feet away. Suddenly, Mr. Hao remembered something from that morning he needed to say. "Zhong, there's someone in the Valley who needs to see Po. He says that need to speak with the Dragon Warrior about honoring his friend's last wishes", Mr. Hao said.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to tell Po when we're not in the middle of a crisis", Zhong said sarcastically. The gray wolf then turned around, and ran off, wanting to quickly rejoin the fray and help out his friends.

"But Zhong! You might know him yourself! He said he's from Gongmen City!", Mr. Hao shouted after him, but the wolf was already long gone.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, Po and the Furious Five were gradually making progress in their battle. Fung was running out of men, and the crocodiles' attacks were becoming more and more predictable.

While Crane was taking down croc after croc, Monkey ran up to the long-legged bird. "Crane, can you give me a lift?", Monkey asked.

Crane nodded, and picked up the yellow langur with his feet. Using as much strength as he could muster, Crane threw Monkey forward, aimed directly at Gah-Ri. Before Fung's beta could react, Monkey outstretched his fists, and collided with the croc's face. Monkey slammed Gah-Ri into the wall, and quickly knocked the croc unconscious.

Fung gulped, watching the whole ordeal from only a few feet away. He knew that while he and his men outnumbered Po and his friends, they were still greatly outmatched. Even with their new knowledge of Kung Fu, the croc bandits were still getting their butts handed to them on a silver platter. Fung knew there was only one thing left to do. The crocodile's anxious eyes wavered to the Hao family's front door - the nearest escape route. "Retreat! Retreat!", the lead croc shouted urgently.

Just as Fung turned to run away, the croc's golden-yellow eyes met one, single crimson eye. Fung gasped, and stepped back, as he realized he had ran straight into Zhong, the one-eyed wolf who had seemingly appeared out of thin air.

Zhong grinned eagerly, allowing the croc bandit to see every one of his razor-sharp fangs. "Who's the lap dog now?", Zhong growled, before thrusting his fist forward. Zhong's fist collided with Fung's snout at maximum strength and speed, sending the croc flying backwards.

However, as Zhong approached for a second blow, one of Fung's troops appeared behind him, wielding a large wooden chair in his claws. Just as he was about strike the wolf down, Monkey appeared and kicked the croc upside the head. Zhong turned around, just in time to see Monkey knock the croc bandit unconscious. "Thanks Monkey", Zhong said gratefully, a large smile on the gray wolf's face.

"Hey, it's no problem", Monkey replied, smiling back. Seeing his wolven comrade in a good mood comforted Monkey, maybe sparring practice wouldn't be so bad after all.

Zhong turned around, to see the corner where Fung had been standing was now empty. The one-eyed wolf turned around again, just in time see Fung and several of his troops running through the front door. "They're trying to escape!", Zhong yelled, before chasing after the crocs. Po and the Furious Five followed him, as the fight quickly spilled out into the streets.

**((()-()))**

Erdan staggered through the crowd of excited villagers, having to struggle just to keep walking. He was already sleepy beyond belief, but running across the village had drained the remainder of his energy. By now, the young wolf cub was close to passing out, but he continued to hold on. He knew he still had a job to do.

Erdan struggled to see over the crowd, there was just so many villagers. Most of them were shorter than him, but a few still managed to block his view of the fight. By now, he knew the crocs were fighting the Dragon Warrior and his friends, but he couldn't make his way through the crowd to help them. He didn't even know where they were.

"_I need a bird's eye view_", Erdan thought desperately. The wolf pup looked all around him, until he saw something that could help him. One of the village huts had a low-lying roof, something that could be easily climbed.

Erdan quickly stepped back a few feet and crouched backwards, as a way of getting a running start, before he launched himself forward. As he approached the hut's brick wall, the boy didn't slow down, but instead kept running faster and faster, picking up more and more speed with each second. Just when it seemed like he was going to collide with the wall, the boy leapt into the air, and landed on the hut's flat roof. Erdan wobbled a little bit, before breathing a sigh of relief. He had made it.

Running was instinctual for a wolf, it was their greatest strength next to their stamina. And besides their unique pack mentality, it was one of the reasons why they were such efficient predators.

Erdan gazed over the side of the roof, and gasped. He could now see everything happening across the village. The angry crowds of villagers watching from the sidelines, the retreating croc bandits, and their pursuers - the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five.

The first one Erdan noticed was the Dragon Warrior, as he was biggest. The panda easily stood out in the crowd, as he plowed down croc and croc, focused more on catching the head bandit, Fung, than his lackeys. After Po, Erdan could see Tigress, Monkey, and Crane running behind the panda, easily keeping up pace with their leader. Viper was a bit harder to see, since she was so much smaller than her four legged teammates, and Mantis was completely invisible from where the boy was standing. Now that Erdan knew where the kung fu warriors were, he could help them in battle. But just as Erdan was about to jump off the roof, he saw something out of his peripheral vision that made him stop and reexamine the scene below him.

A large black and gray creature was running side-by-side with Po, obviously intent on helping the Dragon Warrior end the madness, and he didn't seem to notice Erdan standing on the roof just above him. The boy's vision was slightly blurry from his lack of sleep, but the size and shape of the creature was unmistakable, no matter how distorted it was. To Erdan's shock, he realized that there was another wolf in the Valley of Peace. Erdan quickly remembered his words with Mrs. Yung earlier, and how the old lady had asked if someone named Zhong was with the Dragon Warrior and his friends. Erdan knew immediately that the wolf below him was Zhong.

Wanting to know more about the man named Zhong, Erdan tried to better focus his vision on the battle. So far, the wolf was turned away from him, helping the Dragon Warrior fight off another wave of crocs, and it was impossible to see his face. But the boy could make out some of the canine's basic features. The wild dog stood over six feet tall, had a slightly hunched back, and his fur was shaped almost like a mohawk, a popular human hairstyle from the 1980s.

Erdan froze. In that moment, the wolf cub's heart stopped beating, and his entire body went numb. He forced his eyes to look closer at the mystery man, and confirmed that the wolf's fur was indeed shaped like a mohawk. But in all his travels, he had only met one wolf with such unique fur.

Before Erdan could force himself to think the impossible, the wolf below him turned around, allowing Erdan to see his face for the first time. The gray wolf's most notable facial feature stared Erdan right in the face, defying everything the young wolf cub had thought was possible for the six months. To Erdan's horror, he realized that Zhong only had one good eye. And Erdan knew the reason why - he had lost it to the Dragon Warrior's father thirty years ago, when he and his pack helped Lord Shen raid the panda village.

"_Yu_", Erdan whispered, before collapsing on the hut's roof. Whatever little energy he had had left was now gone, nothing more than a thing of the past, practically a distant memory. The boy's throat felt dry, and no matter how many times he breathed in and out, nothing could quench the wolf's thirst. Erdan knew it was mostly in his imagination, but he didn't care. The boy's mind was reeling.

What he had just seen below him was impossible, and he refused to believe anything his mind was telling him. Yu was dead. He had been dead for the past six months now. He and his pack had been buried months ago, and were supposedly rotting underground, paying the ultimate price for their treasonous crimes. Erdan had already said his good-byes to the man and tried to put him out of his mind, determined to make him nothing more than a memory. But there he was, fighting side-by-side with China's last panda, in the last place Erdan, or anyone else, would have ever expected to find him.

But no matter how many times Erdan tried to convince himself that he was wrong, or that his sleep-deprived eyes were just playing tricks on him, he couldn't deny the truth forever. In fact, the boy could already feel something warm building inside him, which he instantly knew was hope. Something he hadn't felt in over six months. He _wanted_ Yu to still be alive, he _wanted_ what he had just seen to be true. He didn't want to fight the truth anymore. He _couldn't_ fight it anymore, even if he wanted to. Erdan took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh winter air, before he allowed the full magnitude of what was happening to wash over him. Yu wasn't dead, and the orphan boy wasn't alone anymore. He had never been alone in the first place.

Erdan eyes widened, as he realized something else important. If Yu was still alive, then that meant that he never died in the first place. Which meant that everything he had thought, every feeling of guilt and remorse he had suffered for the past six months, it had all been a lie. Nothing more than a cruel lie. Even the good-bye letter he had carried next to his heart during all his travels. If Yu was still alive, where had he been? And why hadn't he contacted him? Yu might still be alive, but he had a lot of explaining to do. And for the wolf's own good, Erdan hoped that he had some good answers.

Erdan suddenly felt a new burst of energy return to his body, and flexed his fingers as a way of regaining his grip on reality. A flame had lit in the boy's soul, and Erdan quickly recognized it as anger. It flowed through his veins like fire, and all his exhaustion disappeared. He need to vent his rage on something - or someone. Adrenaline rushed through the boy, as he leapt off the hut's roof, and landed back in the crowd. He was determined to find the Dragon Warrior and his friends. But it was no longer just so he could help them, he had a new mission now, one that was much more personal. The wolf pup had lost Yu before, but he wasn't going to lose him again.

**((()-()))**

Po and his friends ran through the village, searching every single hut for the elusive croc bandits. They had followed Fung and the remainder of his gang downtown, but the crocs had already disappeared in the crowd, and the kung fu warriors found it impossible to find him.

"Guys! We'll find Fung faster if we split up!", Po reasoned.

Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Zhong all nodded their heads. Po and his friends quickly split into teams of two, and went their separate ways, choosing to search different parts of the Valley.

Po and Zhong followed Fung's footprints, until the panda noticed a long, green tail duck into a dark alley. "There!", Po shouted.

Po and Zhong quickly ran into the alley, only to find it now empty.

"Where could they have gone?", Po whispered, confused.

Zhong scanned the alley with his supersensitive eyes, only to find the panda was right, there wasn't hide nor hair of a crocodile anywhere nearby. The fur on the back of Zhong's neck stood up, a subconscious warning to the wolf that something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

As Po and Zhong continued to check every inch of the alley, Zhong searched through his memories, hoping to find something in his past as a soldier that could help them. "_Come on, think. If I was cornered by the Dragon Warrior and his friends, what would I do?_", Zhong thought. He briefly remembered his first encounter with Po in Gongmen City, how the panda had chased him all across town, until he led him straight into- "_An ambush_", Zhong thought, horrified.

The wolf's ears pricked up, and he heard someone else besides Po grunt, confirming his worst fears. Zhong looked up just in time to see a croc bandit leaning over the edge of a roof, wielding a large wooden spear in his hand. In less than a second, the croc grinned and threw the spear down into the alley, aimed directly at Po's head.

"PO, GET DOWN!", Zhong shouted urgently, before tackling the giant panda to the ground. As they hit the ground, the spear whizzed overhead, and collided with a nearby brick wall, missing the two warriors by mere inches. Seeing that he had missed his target, the croc sneered and leapt off the roof, followed by three more of his friends.

Po and Zhong quickly leapt their feet. After realizing they were outnumbered, the wolf and panda decided to size up their opponents. "Alright, I've been in worst odds than this before, and you probably have too. So I'll take the two on the left, and you'll take the two on the right", Po decided.

"Whatever you say panda", Zhong replied, refusing to take his eyes off the croc bandits who were now rapidly approaching. However, Zhong was so focused on the crocs, that he didn't notice the young wolf cub watching them from above, using a nearby roof to get a aerial view of the fight again.

Erdan watched as Po and Zhong took down croc after croc, but just when it seemed like they were getting the upper hand, another croc always popped up right behind them, jumping to their fellow bandit's aid. Erdan knew that the two kung fu warriors were hopelessly outnumbered. More crocs would come soon, and eventually, Po and Zhong would run out of energy. He had to do something. Erdan slowly extracted his bow and arrow from his satchel. Yu had saved his life once, and it was time for Erdan to return the favor.

Zhong growled, desperately trying to bite down on the hand of the croc that had pinned him to the ground. The one-eyed wolf had been the victim of a sneak attack, orchestrated by two croc bandits who had cleverly decided to use his blind spot to their advantage. Having only one eye meant that Zhong was always vulnerable to sneak attacks during battle, even with his other heightened senses. No matter how much Zhong struggled, the crocs were bigger and stronger, quickly pinning the wolf's arms behind his back. "Wolves, they're all bark and no bite", one croc taunted, only adding to Zhong's fury.

Just as Zhong was about to try and toss the crocs off, he felt someone groan and then yell out in pain. The crocs were suddenly thrown into the air, and collided with the alley's wall, knocking them unconscious instantly. Zhong sighed in relief, and slowly got to his feet. "Thanks Po", he said.

"Um, that wasn't me", Po replied confusedly, before the panda pointed to the right. The two crocs that had cornered Po were also pinned to the alley wall, and Zhong could see why. The four croc bandits all had long wooden arrows piercing through their shoulders, that was what had sent them flying. Zhong noticed that the arrows had only pierced their shoulders, when the mystery archer could have easily aimed for their head or their hearts, or other vital organs. Whoever their attacker had been, he had been extremely careful to go only for non-lethal shots.

"I haven't seen anything like this in years, but who could have done this?", Zhong asked, his voice equally as confused as Po. The wolf hadn't seen anyone with such good aim since the archers who had served in his army.

"You bastard", a young voice whispered through the darkness.

"_**Melody Pond**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Zhong and Po turned around, to see a young wolf pup step out of the shadows. The boy wielded a large bow and arrow in his hands, and it didn't take much to guess that he had been the one who saved them.

"Who are you?", Po asked curiously. The boy's presence surprised him. Po hadn't seen a wolf in the valley in ages, besides Zhong and Shu anyway.

However, the panda's one-eyed friend was silent, a look of absolute shock on the wolf's face. He hadn't seen the boy in over six months, only a few days before the downfall of Lord Shen. He thought he had said good-bye to the young lad forever, and that he would never see the wolf cub again. He had prayed he would never see him again, for the boy's own safety. "Erdan?", Zhong whispered.

Po glanced at Zhong, confused as to how he knew the boy's name. Both Zhong and Erdan's silence frustrated him, Po wanted to know more about who the mystery wolf was. However, the awkward silence only lasted for a few more seconds.

"YOU BASTARD!", Erdan screamed, finally unleashing the full force of his anger.

Po flinched and stepped back instinctively, while Zhong only remained frozen in place, still too shocked to react to the boy's anger.

"Do you have any idea how long I waited for you come back?! THREE DAYS! And then I get this letter in the mail, telling me that you're dead! Apparently, I'd been living with both a thief and a murderer!", Erdan shouted, before walking forward, so he could speak to his ex-roommate face-to-face.

"So then I walk for six long months to reach the Valley of Peace, so that I could 'fulfill you final wishes', only to find you down here fighting crocodiles and living it up with the Dragon Warrior! How could you do to this me Yu?!", Erdan continued, before angrily jerking his head in his head in Po's direction, the boy's voice a mixture of both anger and sadness.

"Yu? Zhong, how does he know you?", Po asked, confused.

Zhong glanced at Po, his state of shock finally broken. He didn't know who to start explaining to first, Po or Erdan.

"I can understand you lying to me about who you were, but why would you lie to me about being dead?!", Erdan asked, his voice still angry.

"It wasn't a lie. I did almost die, but I survived", Zhong replied, forcing the words to come out of his mouth.

"Then why didn't you come back? Why did you let me travel alone for all this time?!", Erdan asked, a small tear beginning to appear underneath the boy's eye.

"I wanted to. But I couldn't come back", Zhong replied, trying to phrase the words just right.

Erdan looked at Zhong for a second, obviously hurt by the wolf's words. But just when it looked like the boy was about to cry, anger rippled across his face. "You couldn't come back?! Why?! Because you'd be hanged?! Because you didn't want to face the consequences of what you and your pack did?!", Erdan asked angrily.

"No, that's not the reason. After I came here, I had to leave everything in the past behind me", Zhong insisted, his voice desperate now. However, as pain rippled across Erdan's face again, Zhong knew the boy had misunderstood.

"Oh. I get it now. I understand the reason why you sent me that good-bye letter and let me go on my merry way alone. After your boss was killed, you had to skip town and leave everything from your old life behind you, including me", Erdan resolved, his voice breaking.

"Erdan, you don't understand-", Zhong started, before Erdan cut him off.

"SAVE IT! Your letter was right about one thing. You are a coward. You always have been, and you always will be. People have _died_ for your cowardice, good people, while you're still here", Erdan growled, his teeth clenched together.

The boy's words cut through Zhong like a knife through butter, and the wolf completely forgot Po was even standing nearby. "Erdan, please…", Zhong whispered.

"You know, I used to lie awake at night, praying that you would come back to me. But now I never want to see your face ever again", Erdan spat, before turning and walking away.

Once his face was turned away from Zhong, Erdan allowed a few tears to roll down his cheek, dampening his dark gray fur. The boy had only held onto his anger long enough to keep Zhong from knowing how much he had really hurt him. But that anger/adrenaline rush had also been the only thing giving him enough energy to stay awake, and without it, he quickly felt that weak-in-the knees feeling returning. After hanging on for hours, three consecutive days without sleep finally caught up to him.

Zhong and Po watched in horror as Erdan staggered out of the alley, before collapsing on the open street. "ERDAN!", Zhong shouted, quickly running up and scooping the boy in his arms. "Erdan, speak to me!", Zhong begged, as he shook the boy in his massive hands. Finally, he realized Erdan was unconscious.

Finally getting fed up with the lack of answers, Po spoke up. "Zhong, tell me what's going on!", the panda demanded.

"There's no time, we've got to get him back to the Jade Palace so Shifu can take a look at him", Zhong replied, before running past the panda.

Po reached out, and grabbed Zhong's shoulder, pulling the wolf back towards his side. "But what about the croc bandits? If we leave now, they'll escape", Po reminded him.

Zhong snarled at the panda, his expression furious. "PANDA, THIS BOY IS INJURED! HE COULD BE _DYING_ FOR ALL WE KNOW! WE CAN ALWAYS CATCH THE CROCS LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW ERDAN'S LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT!", Zhong bellowed, angrier than Po had ever seen him.

Po nodded his head, finally understanding, before letting the wolf go ahead and take Erdan away. Po whistled loudly, and in less than a few seconds, the Furious Five rejoined him.

"What is it Po?", Tigress asked, confused as to why the panda would call off their search so soon.

"Most of the crocs got away, but we've got a kid down. We have to regroup at the Jade Palace so Shifu can examine him", Po explained.

Shock washed across Tigress' face, followed by comprehension and concern. Po knew the feline master had a soft spot for children, and would understand Zhong's need to put the boy's safety before anything else.

Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Crane, and Viper all nodded their heads in compliance, and started running towards the Jade Palace's stairs, with Po not far behind. Zhong was already way ahead of them, but the other six warriors knew it wouldn't take long for them to catch up.

Po was silent as he and his friends started their thousand-stair trip. The panda's mind was reeling. How did Zhong know that boy? How did the boy know Zhong? What had Erdan meant when he said he been living with a thief and a murderer? He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he knew that Zhong was right. Right now, the boy's health was more important.

Instead of being at the back of the group like he normally was, Po now led his friends up the massive flight of stairs, wanting to be side-by-side with Zhong when Shifu examined the boy's lifeless body. Despite most of his energy being used up in the fight, the panda continued to push himself harder and harder in his ascent - Zhong's massive body was now in sight. The wolf was running faster than Po had ever seen him run, like his own life was on the line instead of the boy's. Whoever the boy was, Po could tell Zhong sincerely cared about him - almost like he was his son.

Finally, Po and the Furious Five ran side-by-side with the wolf. Po stared at the boy that Zhong now cradled in his arms - Erdan. Besides Zhong, he was the last surviving wolf of Gongmen City. A fellow lone wolf. "_Hold on little man, hold on_", Po thought anxiously, before looking up again. The Jade Palace was finally in view, and with it came the boy's salvation.

_**Author's Note:**_

Told you there would be plenty of drama in this one. Erdan just went from mourning his friend's death to cursing his existence, all in one chapter. I'd also like to point out that this chapter debuts "_**Melody Pond**_", Erdan's theme. If you've read my previous stories, then you know that I usually assign more than one theme for a single character (see my user page for an exact list). "_**Melody Pond**_" is Erdan's primary theme, and it represents the orphan's dark, secretive past. But Erdan's secondary theme, which is much different than the first one, won't be revealed for quite some time. However, Erdan's character isn't the only one featured in this chapter.

I'd already established Zhong as being Shifu's seventh pupil, but when I got around to writing the action scenes, I started to think about Zhong's ranking. After all, the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five are practically a dream team, even without their newest recruit. Po and Tigress alternate their duties as leader(s), Crane is the team's main defense, while Monkey, Mantis and Viper are the main offense. These six kung fu warriors have been kicking butt for years now, so what does Zhong have to contribute to the A-Team? What makes Wolf Boss' position unique? I started thinking about Po's words from Chapter 3, about how Zhong has experience in being both a guard and a thief. If Zhong knows how other criminals think, than he could be a valuable asset in the fight against evil. In a heist movie, he would be described as 'the brains of the operation'. Ironically, since he relies mostly on brute force, I never really pictured Zhong as being the brains of anything.

Another challenge was finding just the right antagonist for this story. I didn't want the villain to be as deadly as Tai Lung or Lord Shen, because it might distract people from Zhong and Erdan's journey. Instead, I wanted the villain to be comical, someone who's a bad guy, but not really that much of a threat to anyone. So I was drawn to Fung and his gang of crocodile bandits. The crocs aren't that bright sometimes, but they've also outsmarted Po and his friends numerous times in the past. Plus, having them in this story allows me to set up this great gag later on. This chapter also makes references to Kong Wolf City, the village where Musaki meets Arizona in Animation Universe's "_**Dark Side of the Moon**_". "_**DSM**_" is one of my favorite AU stories, and after how supportive Ani has been of this story, mentioning it was the least I could do. Last but not least, I apologize for Erdan's harsh words to Zhong earlier. I usually don't have children swear in my fics, but I felt it was perfectly reasonable, considering how hurt and betrayed the boy would be feeling at the time. But just to be on the safe side, I've decided to raise the rating of this story from K+ to T. See you next week, The Cool Kat.


	6. Chapter 6: Sympathy For The Devil

_**Chapter 6: Sympathy For The Devil.**_

Several hundred feet above Po and his friends, Shu, Shifu, and Zeng sat in circle, their legs folded, and each trying to decide which tile they would move once it became their turn. Shu was really starting to get a hang of Mah-Jong. Shifu and Zeng had managed to win a few rounds, but Shu was still in the lead, with over five games won already.

Shu was about to move another tile, when she noticed Shifu's ears prick up. She knew the old panda well enough by now to read his tense body language. She knew he had heard someone or something approaching from the distance. "What is it?", she asked, curious.

"I sense my students are returning", Shifu replied, his voice distracted.

"Well that's great. We need a fourth player. Po likes to play Mah-Jong with his father sometimes, so he should be a natural at this", Shu said, her voice excited. However, Shu's elderly opponent didn't answer the she-wolf, and she finally noticed the worried expression on his face. Comprehension slowly washed over, followed by fear and concern. "Master, something's wrong, isn't it?", she asked, her voice horrified.

A horrible thought suddenly crossed Shu's mind, and her skin became as cold as ice. "Something's happened. Is anyone hurt?", she whispered. She couldn't live with herself if something had happened to Po, Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, Crane, and…Zhong. Her one-eyed lover had cheated death so many times, what if the wolf's number had finally came up?

"It sounds like they're running, all seven of them", Shifu explained, before standing up. He grabbed Oogway's cane, and walked towards the Jade Palace's front doors. Wanting to know what was wrong, Shu and Zeng followed him.

But before Shifu could even reach the handles, the fronts door flew open in front of him, and seven blurs of black, white, gray, orange, green, yellow ran inside. Po, Zhong, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane all ran past Shifu, as if they hadn't even noticed the old panda standing next to them. "Students, what's wrong?!", Shifu demanded.

Po finally stopped running, and walked back to Shifu's side. "We stopped the croc's raid, but I think a kid has been injured. We need you to examine him", Po explained, struggling to speak clearly over his exhaustion.

Po watched as Shifu's face turned pale white, before the old panda walked past him. He would have ran to Zhong's side, but the panda's left leg had been permanently crippled by his oldest student Tai Lung, forcing him to walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

As Zhong and the other ran past her, Shu noticed the injured boy lying in her boyfriend's arms, but the gray wolf was running too fast for her to get a good view at the boy's face.

Zhong finally stopped running, and gently placed the small boy on a nearby mat, wanting to make sure he didn't hurt him any more than he already was. Shifu walked up to Zhong's side, and gazed down at the boy, a look of absolute terror on the old master's face.

"Master Shifu, is he still alive?", Zhong asked, struggling to keep his voice calm.

Shifu bent over, and placed one of his massive ears over the boy's chest. To his relief, he could the soft thuds of a canine heart beating up and down, pumping blood and oxygen through Erdan's body. He glanced back at Zhong and Po, a small reassuring grin on the old panda's face. "He's going to fine. It seems like he's just sleeping", Shifu replied.

"But he just passed out in front of us. No one just faints from exhaustion like that for no reason", Po argued.

"They can if they've traveled all the way here from Gongmen City", Zhong interjected, the wolf's voice quiet.

Po, Shu, Shifu, and the Furious Five all stared at him at the same time, confused.

"Why do you say he's from Gongmen City?", Viper asked, confused.

Zhong didn't reply, but instead held his head down in shame. "This is all my fault", the guilt-ridden wolf whispered, as he glanced down at Erdan's lifeless face.

"How is this your fault? You don't even know this kid", Monkey asked.

"I think he does", Po accused. Everyone turned to look at the panda, all except for Zhong, who only continued to hold his head down in shame. "Zhong, you know something you're not telling us. I heard you call him Erdan back in the village, and I heard him call you 'Yu'. You only share your first and last name with the people you trust", Po reasoned.

"_Erdan?_", Shu thought, the panda's words taking the she-wolf by surprise. She had heard the name Erdan before, dozens of time actually. The cryptic name had been haunting her dreams for the past three weeks. Shu stretched her neck to look over Zhong's shoulder, and her heart dropped.

It really was the boy from her dreams.

He bore the same saddened expression and wore the same tattered clothes she always pictured him wearing in her nightmares. He really had traveled all the way from Gongmen City, suffering through the pain of his loss all alone the whole time. All Shu wanted at that moment was to wrap her hands around the boy and comfort him, like she had always tried to do in her dreams. But something distracted her - the sound of her boyfriend speaking again.

Zhong took a deep breath. In all his time with Po and his kung fu friends, the gray wolf had told them practically all of his secrets, all except for this one. His most painful one. "I do know him, and he knows me. His name's Erdan, and we used to share a hut together back in Gongmen City, before I met you", Zhong explained, finally lifting his head up to look Po and his friends in the eye.

"Wait, so is this kid your son or something?", Mantis asked, shocked.

As Mantis' words echoed across the room, Po stared at Erdan. The boy had red eyes, a slightly darker shade than Zhong's crimson corneas, but the resemblance was uncanny nonetheless. Suddenly, Mantis' question seemed all the more likely.

"No. I've never had any other children since…since my family died", Zhong replied, having to force the last four words out of his mouth.

"So, was he a part of your army?", Tigress pressed, asking the next most logical question.

"No! I would never condemn someone so young!", Zhong growled, infuriated by what the tiger was even suggesting.

Po and his friends all flinched at Zhong's outburst, except for Tigress and Shifu, who were not only unfazed, but were beginning to grow tired of the wolf's stalling. "Zhong, just tell us", Shifu insisted.

Zhong sighed, and glanced down at the old panda. He knew the time for riddles was over. "I first met Erdan about three months before our raid on the Musician's village. He was an orphan boy, still too young to take care of himself, but too old for anyone to feel any kind of sympathy for him. After all, he was just a wolf, why should anyone care about someone who would grow up to be a monster?", Zhong explained ruefully. He always hated that Erdan would be the one to pay for his selfish mistakes, that innocent others of his kind would have to share in the consequences that should have been his and his alone.

"I shouldn't have cared either, Shen had taught me to repress and ignore all kinds of emotion except for anger. But when I looked at him, he reminded me of my own son, before he died. And before I knew it, I asked him to come live with me, where he could be safe from the cruelty of the outside world", Zhong explained.

"YOU DID WHAT?!", Shifu shouted, both shocked and angry at the same time.

"Are you crazy man?!", Po shouted, his voice also a mixture of shock and anger.

Tigress reached out, and grabbed the wolf by his shoulder, forcing him to talk to her face-to-face. "Zhong, you were a bandit then. Do you have any idea how much danger you put this boy in?!", she growled, before she pointed at Erdan's unmoving body. It always angered the tiger to see anything happen to children, and what the wolf had almost done to the boy seemed heinous.

Zhong growled back. "You think I didn't know the risks? If Shen had found out I was housing an orphan, he would have seen Erdan as a threat to his master plan, nothing more than an unsuspecting witness who knew too much. The boy would have been executed on the spot, simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time", Zhong snarled, before he eventually managed to calm himself down. Getting in a fight with Tigress wouldn't solve anything, and it certainly wouldn't help their current situation.

"Do you remember what I told you back in Gongmen prison? About why I still worked for Shen?", Zhong asked, causing Tigress' eyes to widen in comprehension. She remembered that day well, for it had been one of the darkest days in her life, filled with nothing but hopelessness and despair.

**((()-()))**

_Six Months Earlier…_

A small tear rolled down Tigress' face, dampening her orange and black fur. It was the first time she had cried in years. Her best friend was dead. After everything she and Po had been through together, he was gone from her life forever. He had been shot down in cold blood by Shen and his army. Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Crane, and Viper sat in the middle of a lonely cell in Gongmen City prison. After Po's death, they had been captured again by Shen and his wolf army. But for the first time since they had began this journey, Tigress didn't have a plan on how they would escape. How could she even think about fighting back when she was still grieving the death of the man she loved?

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a door opening. She gazed up, to see several large wolves entering the room, obviously sent by Lord Shen to check on the prisoners. As usual, Yu, the wolf boss, was at the head of the group. It was his duty to help his soldiers if Tigress and the others tried to escape. However, the female master had no intention of escaping. Instead, she growled at the wolf pack, as they walked past cell after cell. As Yu walked past her cell, Tigress snarled at him. "You're monsters", she said angrily.

Yu stopped in his tracks, as if the tiger's words had caught him by surprise. He took a deep breath to steel himself, before turning around to face his vengeful prisoner.

At first, Tigress thought that her words had angered him, and that he would try to strike her through the bars. If he did, she would gladly welcome the fight. It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to avenge Po's death by taking down the man who helped murder him. However, to Tigress' surprise, the wolf seemed like he had been hurt by her words. "Really? Are we really the monsters?", he asked incredulously.

"_**The Doctor's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Tigress raised her eyebrows. Surely, the wolf knew he was evil? Surely he knew he and his pack had killed dozens of innocent people? If that didn't make him a monster, she didn't know what did. "Of course you are", she replied firmly.

Once again, pain rippled across the wolf's face, followed by an expression that looked a lot like guilt. It only took Tigress a moment to realize that her words really were hurting him. But that would mean that he had a heart _to_ hurt, which was impossible. Wasn't it?

"How are we monsters? We chose life over death", Yu countered.

Now it was Tigress' turn to be confused. "What do you mean by that?", she asked.

Yu stared at her, his expression a mixture of anger and surprise. He couldn't believe that such a wise and an experienced master like Tigress would missing something so obvious. "I know what you must think of us, but we didn't sell our souls to Shen because he gave us money or protection. What do you think Shen would do to us if we disobeyed him or tried to rebel? He would slaughter us. And he wouldn't just stop there. He would kill all our families. Would you risk that? Would you risk the lives of everyone you love? Would you have risked the life of your friend, the panda? The lives of your brothers and sisters? The life of your _son_?", Yu asked, his voice breaking on the word '_son_'.

Tigress stared at the wolf, shocked. For the first time since she had met him, he seemed to be showing another emotion besides anger. As she stared into his single crimson eye, it was like she could see inside his soul. Beneath all that anger and aggression, she could see real guilt and remorse. It was then that she knew his words were sincere. He really did have a conscience. He never used it, but it was there. And for one split second, she could have sworn she saw a transparent tear forming underneath his one good eye. But before she could speak again, the wolf's face returned to the hard mask of anger he usually wore. "Would you? _Could you_?!", he asked again.

Tigress remained silent, not knowing what to say or do next.

"Then don't go around calling us monsters", Yu growled, before turning and walking away. The wolf wanted to get as far away from Tigress as possible. Her words had brought out something in him that he had kept buried for over thirty years. It was guilt. True guilt for everything he had done, and how many people he had dragged down with him. But he couldn't let his moment of weakness distract him now, not when his master was so close to achieving his dreams of world domination. Yu took a deep breath, before he closed the prison doors and walked off into the night.

Tigress stood frozen in her cell, even long after Yu was gone. She didn't know what to make of what had just happened. All those lessons Master Shifu and Grandmaster Oogway had taught her were right, looking at the world through another person's eyes did make it easier to understand them. She had never thought of Yu and his men as being victims themselves in Shen's endless war, and she finally understood the lose-lose situation Yu was currently in. Even though she knew shouldn't have, Tigress almost felt sorry for the wolf. Almost anyway.

**((()-()))**

Tigress stood frozen in place, staring Zhong directly in the eye. "When you said 'son', you meant Erdan, didn't you?", she asked slowly.

Zhong nodded his head, and Tigress finally released her grip on the wolf's shoulder.

"But if you didn't want to anything to happen to the boy…Erdan, then why would you put him in so much danger?", Po asked, confused.

Zhong gritted his teeth, and frowned at the panda. "Believe it or not panda, there are even worse things out there than me. You don't know what the streets of Gongmen City used to be like. Besides the villagers, the city was filled with thieves, murderers, and rapists. Every one of your worst nightmares prowling the streets at night, just waiting to find the right victim. If Erdan had continued on the path he was on, he would have been killed in a matter of days", Zhong explained.

"I figured it was better to keep him close by where I could protect him than to let him wander around aimlessly through the streets. I told him about some things, like how I was how a soldier fighting in a war. But for his own safety, I never told him about…where my true allegiance laid", Zhong continued, hesitating on the last few words. The wolf hardly ever spoke of his years as a soldier, and simply remembering those dark days left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"But even if it was just to protect him, how could you keep a secret like that from him for so long? How is that even possible? Surely he would have noticed you were gone everyday", Crane asked, his voice disbelieving.

Zhong sighed, and glanced at Erdan again for the third time. "Whenever Shen sent us out to raid another village, I always told Erdan I was going to work out of town. But I warned him to never leave the cabin on his own. This was what I told him when we left for the Valley of Peace", Zhong replied, before turning to look Po in the eye. The two shared a somber look, as they remembered that day, before Zhong continued.

"After we returned, Shen's plan came to fruition, and we seized control over the city. I still don't know how I managed to pull it off, but I kept Erdan from ever going into town. I warned him there was a war going on, and to seek shelter in the cabin whenever he heard gunfire. He was so afraid of the war that he took my word for it", Zhong continued.

Zhong looked at Po and the Furious Five again, the wolf's face a mixture of sadness and regret. "But I soon found that you and your friends had followed us back to Gongmen City. After years of trying to prevent the inevitable, the chosen one had finally came for Shen. On the night Gongmen Palace was destroyed, Shen ordered us to track you and your friends down, and kill you at all costs. But I knew that no matter which way the battle went, it would be Shen's last stand. I managed to slip away for a few hours, and say my last good-byes to Erdan. But before I left for battle, I wrote him a note, telling him what to do if…when I died", Zhong corrected himself, before he was cut off Po.

"Died?! But there's no way you could have known you would die", Po said, confused. The panda remembered Erdan's words from earlier, about how Zhong had sent him a note, warning him about his death. But it was impossible for the wolf to have known beforehand that he would die by Lord Shen's blades.

"Why would you write something like that?", Viper asked, before slithering towards the one-eyed wolf.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, the next secret he had to confess was one that went against fiber of his being. But he knew he owed his friends some answers, so he pressed on. "Because I was afraid. Not just afraid, terrified", Zhong admitted, forcing the words out of his mouth.

"Afraid of what?", Po pressed impatiently.

"Of you", Zhong replied, his voice flat and emotionless.

Po froze, the wolf's words taking him by complete surprise. In the six months he had known Zhong, the one-eyed wolf had never seemed to have any kind fear of him. Instead, he used to mock the panda at almost every chance he would get. What Zhong was saying sounded ludicrous, didn't it? "Me?", Po whispered, confused.

Tigress glanced at Zhong, every bit as confused as Po. "Why would you be scared of Po?", the female master asked.

"Think about it Tigress. We all knew that a warrior of black and white would someday return to Gongmen City and defeat Shen. That's the whole reason why he had us attack the panda village. But the day we learned that one panda was still alive, and that he was the Dragon Warrior, was everyone's worst nightmare. Even Shen's. And no matter how many times we tried to kill you and your friends, you just wouldn't die", Zhong explained.

Zhong turned to look at Po, a look of absolute guilt on the wolf's face. "I was terrified not only for my own life, but for the lives of my pack. We knew that if you won the war, you would not only kill Shen, but slaughter us as well, as revenge for what we had done to your family all those years ago", Zhong explained.

"Wait, you thought I was going to-", Po stuttered, as the panda realized what Zhong was saying.

"Rip me apart? Yes", Zhong confirmed.

Po froze again, as a horrible image suddenly appeared in his mind.

_The panda was chasing down Zhong and his pack, killing every single wolf who was foolish enough to try and get in his way. Lord Shen had already fallen at the wharf of Gongmen Bay, leaving the late peacock's guards vulnerable to the Dragon Warrior's fury. They had taken away the lives of Po's family, so it was only fair that the orphan panda take away theirs in return. One by one, the wolves fell, they were match for the man who had single-handedly defeated their late master. Finally, Po managed to catch up with the head wolf, Zhong. Before the wild dog could even protest, Po snapped his neck, silencing his parents' killer forever._

Po gasped, and stepped back, horrified by the images his mind had just created. The panda never knew he was even capable of imagining something like that. "I would never do that. I could never do that", he whispered. He turned to Zhong, and placed his arm on the wolf's shoulder. However, the wild dog refused to look him in the eye, his head still hanging down towards the floor. "Zhong, look at me", Po said quietly.

Zhong sighed, and lifted his head, knowing it was pointless to try and argue with Po. The gray wolf's expression was a mixture of guilt and remorse.

"That never would have happened. I would have found a way to stop you and Shen, but I would have no taken another life on purpose, no matter how angry I was. Oogway and Shifu taught to me to always favor forgiveness over revenge", Po reasoned, though the panda knew he was still trying to convince himself as well as Zhong.

A small smiled appeared on Zhong's face, as he pondered Po's words, before the wolf's face fell slightly. "Well, I was right about one thing. I did die, but not by your hands panda. If that soothsayer hadn't have found me, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now, so I suppose it's a good thing I wrote Erdan that letter", Zhong resolved, his voice rueful.

"What did the letter say?", Shifu asked sternly.

"I gave him instructions to the find the Valley of Peace and live out the rest of his life in sanctuary, since it wasn't safe for any wolf to still live in Gongmen city after Shen's downfall", Zhong replied.

"But it only took us a month to walk to Gongmen City and back ourselves. So why did this Erdan kid only just appear now?", Mantis asked, confused.

"I don't know Mantis, but I have a theory. You and your friends have the luxury of being respected kung fu warriors, you have the friends and the money to go anywhere you please. But wolves like me and Erdan are hated by almost everyone in China, and I imagine his journey was a whole lot more difficult", Zhong mused.

"Then why didn't you try to find him? Why didn't you look for him after the soothsayer brought you back?", Tigress asked angrily.

"I did at first, but I stopped eventually. After all, even if by some miracle I did find him, what kind of life would he have with me? A fugitive? A murderer? He would be better off living on his own again than being ridiculed for living with the devil's servant. So I decided to let Erdan continue on whatever path he was on, while I looked for Po in the Valley of Peace", Zhong explained.

"That's what you meant when you said it was all your fault, isn't it? You're the reason Erdan walked so far to come here, you're the reason his life has been a living nightmare", Monkey realized, his voice accusing.

"I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. Now I realize I was just too afraid to face Erdan and explain to him what I did. Too scared to face up the consequences of my actions, just like Erdan said. He's right, I am a coward. And even when I'm not trying, I still hurt people", Zhong replied, his voice becoming more and more hopeless as realization washed over him. "_Why does everyone else besides me always have to pay for my mistakes?_", Zhong thought sadly to himself.

Po and his friends stared at Zhong, each with the same shocked expressions on their faces. Even Shu was taken aback by the day's recent events. She thought she had known everything there was to know about Zhong, and that there were finally no more secrets between them. But here was a secret so big that not even Zhong's own teammates knew about it.

Finally, Shifu spoke up. "Zhong, why didn't you tell any of us about this before?", the old panda asked.

"Like you said master, dwelling on the past is pointless. Since there's nothing I can do to change it, I try not to think about it at all", Zhong replied.

"Zhong, I know I told you to let go of your past, but I never told you to turn your back on it entirely. Your past is an important part of you, it helped make you into the man you are today. Without it, we might have never defeated that boar gang last fall", Shifu reasoned, shocked by his student's words.

"Shifu's right Zhong, I know you want nothing but the best life for Erdan, but do you really think it's right to let him live out the rest of his life thinking you're dead? Losing someone is a terrible feeling Zhong, and you of all people should know that. And I know you've made some mistakes in the past, but I think Erdan would rather accept that than lose you again", Po added, as painful memories of his own parents' deaths filled his head.

Zhong looked at Po, then Shifu, and then Erdan, feeling conflicted. As much as he wanted to believe his friend's reassuring words, Po himself was living proof of the havoc Zhong wreaked on the lives of everyone he encountered. "I don't know panda, I just don't know", Zhong replied, his voice empty.

Shifu took a deep breath, and then exhaled, allowing fresh oxygen to flow to his brain. The old master was having a hard time comprehending everything he had just learned in the past 15 minutes. How could he have not noticed one of his own students keeping a secret from him for so long? Finally, he decided that changing the subject would be the best way to keep his temper under control. "Po, what are the results of your mission?", Shifu asked, struggling to keep his voice calm.

"Fung and his men got away, but I think we stopped them before they could hurt anyone. And only a few huts were damaged during the entire raid", Po reported. It was only a half-victory, but a victory nonetheless. And during all his time as the Dragon Warrior, Po had learned to take whatever kind of victory he could get, no matter how small.

"Excellent, but your job is not finished yet my students. Po, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Zhong, you will return to village and help the townspeople repair their homes", Shifu decided.

Po and his friends all bowed their heads, while Zhong only glanced up at the old panda. "But master, I want to be here by Erdan's side when he wakes up", Zhong argued.

"Zhong, you are one of the best builders in the valley, the others will need your help if repairs are to be finished before nightfall", Shifu replied, unfazed.

"But master-", Zhong argued, before he was cut off by Shifu.

"No buts Zhong. I understand your concern for the boy, but Erdan will be fine, and the townspeople need you right now. Besides, you may not be the best person for Erdan to see when he first wakes up. We don't need him to have another fit and pass out again from overexertion", Shifu ordered, hoping Zhong would listen to reason.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, looking at Shifu and then at Erdan. He was torn between his two greatest priorities, making sure Erdan pulled through, and helping the villagers he had sworn to protect.

Shu noticed the conflict on her boyfriend's face, and decided to speak up. "Zhong, don't worry. I'll stay here and watch Erdan until you get back", Shu decided.

Zhong glanced at the she-wolf, surprised. "Shu, you don't have to do that for me. This is my problem, not yours", Zhong said.

"Don't worry, I was born for this job. This little boy has needed me for a long, long time now", Shu replied, a small smile appearing on her face.

"But you just met him today, and by accident at that", Zhong argued.

"A very wise man once said that there are no accidents", Shu replied, her voice firm.

Zhong stared at Shu, surprised by the wisdom in his girlfriend's words, while Shifu's mouth hung open slightly. The words Shu had just used were a direct quote from Shifu's old teacher, Grand Master Oogway. Even though she had never met Oogway in person, it seemed that Shifu's words to Shu that morning had left quite an impression on the young she-wolf. Finally, Shifu shook his head, and turned back towards his students. "Alright then pupils, set out. It'll be dark again in a few hours", Shifu ordered.

All seven pupils nodded their heads respectfully, before they walked away. Zhong threw one last tortured look at Erdan, before he left with his friends. The only thing that allowed him to leave the room was the comfort of being able to visit Erdan later, hopefully when he was awake.

After they were all gone, Shifu turned to look at Shu and Zeng, the duck and wolf had managed to remain silent almost the entire time. "Shu, help me move Erdan into a spare room. We'll need to have our doctors take a closer look at him, just to make sure he doesn't have any kind of internal injuries", Shifu ordered.

Shu nodded her head, and slowly picked up the wolf cub in her arms. She was careful not to jostle the boy too much, in fear of hurting him by accident. As she cradled Erdan in her arms, a warm feeling spread within her. Because after two months of sleepless nights, she had finally met her mystery boy. She was finally holding him in her arms, keeping him safe from harm like she had always wanted to in her dreams. To Shu, the moment felt right, in fact, it almost felt like it was long overdue.

As she pressed Erdan closer to her chest, and felt the boy's warm heart beating, Shu understood why Zhong had did what he did. Even though she had no blood relation to the boy, and had only just met him a few minutes ago, Erdan was already like a son to her. Her stranger son. She would do anything to keep him safe, climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest sea, even fight off an army of rhinos if it meant Erdan had a chance at life. It was just a part of her nature, a wolf's instinct to her protect her young. "Erdan, my son", she whispered.

**((()-()))**

Miles away from the Jade Palace, a dozen or so crocodiles were camping out in the bamboo forest. After running for about half an hour, they had stopped to catch a much needed breath. What should have been a simple raid on the Valley of Peace had gone horribly wrong, and Fung had lost many of his men because of it. By now, about 60% of his army were probably on their way to Chor-Gom prison, again. The head crocodile was still bitter about their defeat, but was in too much pain to dwell on it now.

"Darnit! Not even Po hits that hard! I think that Zhong guy knocked out five or six of my teeth!", Fung groaned, as the angry crocodile rubbed his sore snout.

"I think they'll grow back soon boss", Gah-Ri reminded him.

"You're missing the point!", Fung snapped, before throwing his helmet on the ground.

Several of Fung's men flinched, as the head croc got to his feet. "It took me three weeks to come up with that plan, and we still got out butts kicked anyway! And I didn't even plan for that wolf guy! And just for the record, who's ever heard of a wolf working with a panda?! It's unnatural!", Fung fumed, while pacing around in circles.

"I hear you boss, and we were gonna make a fortune this time", one croc added.

Fung scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "Maybe, but that bounty was nothing but chump change compared to the treasures Shifu keeps in the Jade Palace. I've been there once, and it's a bandit's paradise", Fung replied, vaguely remembering the time he had tricked Po into kidnapping a man's son for him.

"Well, that's all well and good boss, but the Jade Palace is impenetrable", one croc argued.

"Not completely impenetrable, I heard a group of lady thieves managed to trick Po into letting them in and made off with a Dragon Chalice two years ago. Before he stopped them anyway", another croc interjected.

"Face it Fung, getting into the Jade Palace would be impossible. Po and his friends have really been stepping up their game these last few years. Shifu even has seventh student now", one croc said, before sighing in defeat.

Suddenly, Fung's eyes lit up, as his mind formulated a devious plan. "That's it! You just gave me an idea!", Fung exclaimed.

"You want us to dress up like women?", Gah-Ri asked, eagerly.

"What?…No! I've got an idea on how to get to the Jade Palace's treasures, and get our revenge on that wolf guy at the same time", Fung explained.

"And how are we gonna do that?", Gah-Ri asked, his voice doubtful this time.

"Shifu's gonna hand the loot over to us willingly, after we capture his newest student and take him as our prisoner that is", Fung replied. But as soon as he spoke, all of Fung's men gasped and stepped back in shock.

"Are you crazy man?! That Zhong guy is completely insane!", one croc shouted.

"Fung, he helped murder an entire village of innocent pandas, do you think he won't mind doing the same thing to us if we mess with him?!", another croc reasoned.

"Relax guys. Wolves may be tough, but even they have to let their guards down eventually. And the best way to take down a wolf is to separate him from his pack", Fung said reassuringly. A few crocs still looked nervous, but they all eventually nodded their heads in agreement. Fung had had his share of crazy plans before, but this was one a whole new level of crazy. But he was still their leader, and that meant they had to follow him.

Fung lifted his hand, as a sign for his men to huddle up. "Now here's what we're going to do", Fung began. As they shared ideas on the best way to execute Fung's plan, confidence returned to the croc bandits once again. Not only were they gonna get rich, but Fung would get the satisfaction of knocking some of Zhong's teeth out. An eye for an eye (or rather, a tooth for a tooth). Fung smiled, and turned around to stare at the western side of the forest, setting his sights on the Valley of Peace.

_**Author's Note:**_

Sorry about the long wait for Chapter 6. This was a super important chapter and I wanted to make sure I hit all the necessary plot points. Chapters like these tend to slow me down a little, because there are so many characters in this one, over 10 at least, and they're all talking at the same time. Needless to say, finding places for all these characters got overwhelming very quickly. Plus, I had Zhong, Erdan, and Shu's storylines all going at the same time, and I had to try and convey all that information in one, super-long, conversation, which means that this chapter is filled with mostly exposition. Exposition is always the hardest thing for me to write, because it's always the least interesting part of a story to me. By definition, exposition is basically having characters convey a ton of information through dialogue, and for me, 13 pages of nothing but dialogue can get both stale and boring really fast. So trying to make exposition interesting was quite a challenge, and hopefully I pulled it off well enough. Luckily, Animation Universe had a few suggestions about this chapter that helped me take it up a notch (thanks again Ani).

Another daunting challenge was finding Zhong's theme. I love books, but I'm also an orchestra music fanatic, and there is nothing I love better than a good musical theme. Each one is unique and special in it's own way. A character's theme defines them, it helps the audience to better understand them, as it speaks about everything that character is about. I love hearing the music evolve at the same time as the character grows, before it finally reaches it peak during the film's climax. This was one the things I enjoyed the most about writing "_**Salvation, Part 1**_", dropping tiny little variations of "_**I Am the Doctor**_" throughout the story as Balto's character grew stronger, until the Eleventh Doctor's theme appeared in all it's glory during the final chapter. "_**I Am The Doctor**_" was the ideal choice for Balto's theme, as it was everything the wolf-dog was - fun, noble, heroic, adventurous, and epic. But before I even got started on "_**Erdan 2**_", I realized the story had entirely different feel than Balto's story, and thus the music needed to be different as well. I had already introduced a love theme for him and Shu in chapter 3 ("_**The Mad Man With A Box**_"), but I also wanted a theme that would be entirely about Zhong, the tragic hero of this story. And given the horrific nature of Zhong's past, I knew I wanted Wolf Boss' theme to be darker and more spiritual than Balto's theme.

My attention was then drawn towards the Ninth Doctor's theme, "_**The Doctor's Theme**_", by Melanie Pappenheim and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. "_**The Doctor's Theme**_" speaks about a man who fought in an endless war, and massacred hundreds of people just to protect his own kind. A man who thought he was just doing his patriotic duty and deliberately ignored what he and his comrades were becoming, until he could turn a blind eye no longer. A man who ultimately betrayed his own leader to stop the war, but still lost everyone he loved in the process. A man who is now the last of his kind, and has to live with the guilt of what's he done every single day. A man who's afraid to let anyone get close to him in fear of losing them too. The Doctor truly walks a path of loneliness and misery, the very same path that Zhong now walks. Unlike Balto's theme, I knew I wanted Zhong's theme to be universal, and variations of "_**The Doctor's Theme**_" appear in almost every Wolf Boss story I plan to write, including "_**Lazarus**_".

In the next chapter, Erdan awakens, but will he find it in him to forgive Zhong? Plus, Erdan's quest finally reaches it's end, when the wolf cub meets the Dragon Warrior. Until next week, The Cool Kat.


	7. Chapter 7: Leave Out All The Rest

_**Chapter 7: Leave Out All The Rest.**_

Long after the croc's raid was over, long after Zhong had left for the village, and long after Shu had set him down in Jade Palace's hospital ward, Erdan finally began to stir. The boy's hand twitched, as he subconsciously stretched the muscles in his body. Even though he had slept for hours, the wolf cub was still exhausted. He willed his eyes open, and noticed the blue sky above him had now been replaced by a green ceiling. It only took him a few seconds to realize he was no longer in the village. Instead, he was lying on his back on a table, in an empty room. He tried to remember how he got there, but his last few memories before he blacked out were all a blur.

"I see you're finally awake", a mysterious voice noted.

Erdan froze, and his red eyes flew wide open. Someone else had joined him. It took his sleepy eyes a moment to focus, before he realized an old red panda was standing in the doorway. Erdan hesitated for a moment, trying to decide whether or not the old man was a threat, before he spoke. "Who are you?", the boy asked curiously.

"Grandmaster Shifu of the Jade Palace, trainer of the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five", the panda replied.

"You're Master Shifu?", Erdan asked, shocked.

The old man nodded in reply.

Erdan paused for a moment, before he leapt off the table, and bowed in respect. Shifu smiled a bit, and bowed back. "Master, it's an honor to meet you. But how did I get here?", Erdan asked, confused.

Before Shifu could reply, another mysterious voice spoke up, though this one belonged to a female. A tall she-wolf walked in the room, a wide smile on her face. "You passed out during a raid on the Valley of Peace. You've been unconscious for at least five hours now. I'm guessing your body just needed some time to rest from your travels", the she-wolf explained.

"Who are you?", Erdan asked, curious. It surprised him to see a wolf inside the Jade Palace, he hadn't seen any kind of wolves in his travels ever since he left Gongmen City.

"My name is Shu, a friend of Shifu and the Dragon Warrior. My friends tell me that your name's Erdan", Shu explained.

This reply took Erdan by surprise. Now that his exhaustion was beginning to wear off, he could think more clearly. The she-wolf's knowledge of his identity greatly worried him. After all, he had never even been to the Valley of Peace before, so how did the Dragon Warrior and his friends know his name? "How do you know that?", the boy asked, worried.

"Zhong told me when he brought you in here", Shu replied simply.

Erdan's red eyes widened, as shock washed over the boy. The name Zhong had broken some kind of invisible barrier inside his mind, and his memories of the croc bandits' raid came flooding back to him. He remembered buying some apples and running off to go stop Fung. He remembered learning Yu was alive, and saving the wolf's life before angrily confronting him. And the last thing he remembered was telling Zhong/Yu that he never wanted to see him again, before passing out from exhaustion.

Erdan guessed that Zhong and the Dragon Warrior had brought him back to the Jade Palace while he was still unconscious. The boy had a thousand different questions, many of them were either vulgar or highly unpleasant, but he finally settled on just one. "How do you know Zhong?", Erdan asked Shu through clenched teeth, having to practically force Yu's new name out of his mouth.

"I'm his girlfriend, we met during the holidays", Shu explained, before silently gauging the boy's reaction.

Another wave of shock washed over Erdan's face, and he stared at Shu in disbelief. There was no way anyone could love Zhong, not after all he had done, all the innocent lives he ruined. The she-wolf's words couldn't be true. "Did he tell you about what he did?", Erdan asked venomously.

"That he used to work for Shen? Yes, it was one of the first things he told me when I met him", Shu replied.

"Then why would you still stay with him, a killer?", Erdan asked, his confusion replacing his anger.

"Because I loved him, and I understood that he did some terrible things in the past but was trying to make up for that. And if he truly felt remorse for what he did, then I forget who he used to be, and focus more on he is now. Now that I know him better, it's easier to just leave out all the rest", Shu explained.

Erdan scowled, and looked away for a moment, taking in Shu's words. "I _would have done the same. If Yu had just told me the truth, I would have understood_", Erdan thought ruefully. He then tried to take his mind off his old roommate by asking Shu his second most pressing question. "Why do you keep calling him Zhong? I thought his name was Yu", Erdan asked, accusation in his voice.

Shifu decided to answer the cub's question this time. "Yu is Zhong's last name. He only started using his first name six months ago, but his troops often referred to him as General Yu. But I know Zhong well enough to know that he only shares his real name with the people he trusts. I'm assuming you two had a special bond?", Shifu asked.

Erdan scoffed at the old panda's words, causing Shifu to raise his eyebrows. "Hardly, I just lived with him for a few months, before he-", Erdan explained, before his voice trailed off at the end.

Shifu stared at the young wolf pup, taking in his saddened expression. "Your voice is so angry and bitter. But underneath all that anger, I can sense sadness and confusion. You're trying to use your anger to hide how hurt you really are by what happened. Zhong used to do the same thing", Shifu noted.

Erdan turned around, and scowled at the old panda. "I don't mean you any disrespect master, but I am nothing like that monster, and what happened to him is of no concern to me", Erdan growled.

"Then why are you crying?", Shu asked worriedly, speaking up for the first time in several minutes.

Erdan stared at Shu for a moment, before he realized his eyes were moist. He slowly raised his paw to his face, and wiped away a few tears. It seemed that dredging up all those old memories of Zhong had also stirred up a few feelings he had kept buried for a long time. Painful feelings. Erdan turned away from Shu and Shifu, not wanting the wolf and panda to see him cry.

Noticing Erdan's shame, Shifu decided to speak up. "You don't have to turn away from us Erdan, crying does not make you weak. It is sign that you have feelings, that you have a heart. Crying is part of what makes us human", Shifu reassured him.

Erdan turned to face the old master, tears still rolling down his face. "Why would he leave me alone like that?", Erdan asked.

Shifu sighed, already knowing what the young cub meant. "Zhong did what he thought was best for you at the time", Shifu replied.

"Letting me wander the jungle, alone, for six months?! Leaving me to die in a country where everyone hates me and my kind?! How is that best for me?!", Erdan demanded, his anger at Zhong returning.

"I'm afraid that only Zhong knows the reasons behind his actions", Shifu replied calmly. Though Shifu certainly didn't agree with Zhong's decision, he partially understood the wolf's desire to keep Erdan safe from harm.

Erdan thought about Shifu's words for a moment, before taking a deep breath to calm himself. He was still tired from his journey, and all that anger was rapidly draining what was left of his energy. "Where is he anyway?", Erdan asked, refusing to say either one of Zhong's names.

"Zhong is with Po and the other warriors, repairing the valley from the raid this morning", Shifu explained.

"That figures. He didn't even care enough to be here when I woke up", Erdan muttered, his ears drooping.

Shifu raised his eyebrows, and a small smile appeared on the red panda's face. "To the contrary, I had to practically force him to leave your side", Shifu said.

This caught Erdan's attention, the young wolf turned to stare at Shifu, doubt in his eyes. However, as Erdan examined the old panda's features, he realized that Shifu's face was 100% serious. Even though the boy had only just met him, Erdan could already tell that Shifu wouldn't lie to him. "Really?", he asked, his voice hopeful.

"Really", Shifu replied.

As much as Erdan didn't want to accept it, he could feel joy and hope spreading within him, two crucial emotions that he had buried for half a year now. Before he could ask anymore questions, his stomach rumbled loudly.

"Are you hungry?", Shu asked, concerned.

Erdan looked up again, to see Shu now holding a burlap sack in her right hand. It only took him a few seconds to recognize it as his satchel. Erdan nodded his head in response to the she-wolf's question.

Shu reached into the sack, and extracted a juicy, red apple. "Po grabbed this sack before he left the village, I take it these are your apples?", Shu asked, while handing Erdan the apple.

"I bought them fresh from the farmer's market this morning", Erdan explained, before taking a large bite out of the apple.

"That won't fill your stomach, I should probably prepare something in the kitchen", Shu suggested.

"You don't have to do that for me miss", Erdan replied, not wanting to be a burden.

"You've traveled a long way, you need to eat. Besides, I'm sure Po won't mind if I take his place as chef for today", Shu replied happily.

"While you do that, I'll find our guest a change of clothes", Shifu added, while examining the tattered clothes on Erdan's back. The young wolf cub wore only a pair of ragged shorts and a worn-out cotton shirt. The boy was already poor, but his 100 mile journey had left him with barely any clothes to keep him warm.

"Luckily, we always keep a few spare robes nearby for just a situation like this", Shifu said, before he walked off.

Erdan grinned, and watched as Shu walked away with Master Shifu, they were such nice people. It seemed the people in the Valley of Peace were every bit as open and friendly as the stories said they were. That comforted Erdan, after living through hell for six months, he was finally going to find some peace. The boy didn't know where he'd go after it was time for him to leave the Jade Palace, but it didn't really bother him that much. He had been living independently for half a year now, and he could do it again if he had to.

However, there was one thing that still bothered him - Zhong Yu. Erdan didn't know what to make his current situation. On one hand, he wanted to hate Zhong for everything the wolf had done to him, and wanted to get as far away from him as possible. But on the hand, his old roommate was still alive. Zhong had been the closest thing to a father he had had in over a year, and losing him had been the most devastating thing to happen to him since his real parents' deaths. Whether Erdan liked it or not, he considered Zhong to be his second father, and now that he had had some time to cool down, his relief outweighed his anger. But admitting that he missed Zhong was only one of the two major problems he faced. The other was forgiving him. Did Erdan really have the strength to do what Shu had? Could he really just leave out all the horrible things Zhong had done, and just accept the wolf for who he was?

Erdan sighed, and lowered his head. He was so confused. Everything had seemed so calm and normal that morning, but now it was like his whole life had been turned upside down. And to make matters worse, everything was happening so quickly and chaotically. It had been a day filled with nonstop miracles and revelations, and what Erdan really needed right now was some time alone to think about what he was going to do next. And he knew exactly what he needed to get his head straight. Erdan sat on the floor, and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he let his mind wander freely. Meditation was an old hobby of his, and it was something he had done numerous times during his travels, as a way of finding the strength to go on. But today, Erdan was searching for inner peace instead of strength. And maybe the answers to his problems would come to him soon enough.

**((()-()))**

Several hours later, Tigress yawned. The female master was completely exhausted from a long, hard day's work. The last thing Tigress and her teammates felt like doing at that moment was walking up a thousand steps. But the sun was already setting, which meant they only had a few minutes left to get to the Jade Palace, or they'd have to walk home in the dark. Most of Shifu's students were either walking alongside Tigress or ahead of her, all except for one - a familiar black and white panda who was lagging behind by several steps. "Po, pick up the pace. It's almost dark", Tigress beckoned.

"I'm walking as fast as I can, but we've been running up and down these stairs all day. Plus, I don't have an energy, because I never finished breakfast", Po complained, walking several feet behind her. So far, it had been the worst Valentines Day in history. Holidays were suppose to be restful and relaxing, but so far the hungry panda had missed breakfast, got ambushed by croc bandits, and almost broke his paw with a hammer. Repairing the villagers' huts was tiring work, but it was even more exhausting on an empty stomach.

Monkey turned around, and grinned tiredly at his comrade. "Look at it this way Po, the sooner we get home, the sooner you can eat", Monkey suggested.

Po's face lit up, and the panda immediately quickened his pace, until he was walking side-by-side with Tigress and Monkey. He was already imagining what kind of yummy food was waiting for him when he got back to the palace.

Several feet ahead of Po and his friends, Zhong was walking at the head of the group. The gray wolf was just as tired as his friends, but just like Po, he had enough motivation to keep him going. But unlike Po, it wasn't food he was worried about.

Tigress walked up to the ex-wolf boss, and placed her paw on his shoulder. "Are you ready for this?", she asked, concerned.

"As ready as I'll ever be", Zhong replied, before looking ahead. The Jade Palace was now only a few meters above them.

Po joined the two warriors, and noticed that Zhong had a large burlap sack draped over his shoulder. "What's in the sack?", Po asked curiously.

"Just something I picked up in the village", Zhong replied simply.

Po stared at him, feeling unsatisfied by the wolf's answers. Po was still curious about the mysterious contents of the sack, but the one-eyed wolf obviously wasn't in the mood to answer any more questions. Besides, Po decided Zhong had revealed enough secrets for one day. Instead, the panda remained silent for the rest of the thousand stair climb, as the sun finished setting over the valley.

**((()-()))**

Inside the Jade Palace, Shu, Erdan, and Shifu all waited silently for the other six palace residents to return. While they both waited for Zhong to return, Erdan had bonded with Shu quite a bit in the last three hours, and considered her to a very nice lady. What he didn't understand was why such a nice girl could love a monster like Zhong. No matter what she told him about their relationship, it still didn't make any sense to the boy.

As the sun slowly set under the mountains, Shu and Erdan shared a nervous look, neither wolf knew what would happen when Po and his friends got back from their mission. Shifu had came up with an idea to help ease the shock of seeing Zhong again, and Erdan had reluctantly agreed to it. Finally, Shifu's ears twitched, and the old panda lifted his head. "They're here", Shifu said quietly.

Both Shu and Erdan took a deep breath, preparing themselves for whatever came next.

"Shu, come with me. Erdan, stay here until we return", Shifu requested.

Shu and Erdan nodded their heads obediently. Shifu seemed to know what he was doing, and if the planned worked, Erdan's second reunion with Zhong would hopefully go smoother than the first.

Erdan took a seat at the kitchen table, while Shu and Shifu walked into the hallway. In a few moments, they were standing in the Hall of Warriors, the main entrance to the Jade Palace. The wolf and panda watched as the palace doors swung open, and seven kung fu warriors stepped through the threshold. "Hello my pupils", Shifu said.

Po was the first to walk inside, a small grin on the panda's face. "Hi Shifu", Po greeted tiredly.

Zhong was next, followed by the other five warriors. Shu walked up, and kissed Zhong on the lips, which the wolf returned almost immediately.

"Ew", Mantis cringed, as he watched the two wolves lock lips.

"It wouldn't be so creepy if there wasn't so much tongue", Po added, while pretending to shield his eyes.

Shu ignored the panda, and grinned at her one-eyed lover. "I missed you today", she whispered.

"So did I. I just realized something, today was Valentines Day, and we never kissed once", Zhong noted, his voice slightly disappointed.

"I think we just did", Shu giggled.

Zhong smiled, before his expression became serious again. The gray wolf anxiously turned towards Master Shifu. "Master, is Erdan awake yet?", Zhong asked hesitantly, before bracing himself for whatever news Shifu had for him.

"He woke up about three hours ago, Shu has been keeping entertained by giving him a tour of the palace. He's waiting in the kitchen right now", Shifu replied. Even though he didn't show it nearly as much as Zhong did, Shifu was nervous himself about what would happen next, and prayed that his plan would help ease the tense situation.

Zhong lifted his head, and started walking forward, when Shifu stopped him. "We still don't know how fragile the boy is yet. Seeing all you at the same time might overwhelm him and send him back into shock. I think it's best if I send you in one at a time", Shifu suggested.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, before nodding. As much as he wanted to see Erdan, he didn't want a repeat of what happened in the village square.

Shifu turned to Po. "Po, you and Shu will go in first", Shifu resolved.

Po and Shu nodded their heads and walked past Zhong, who held his head down disappointedly. It didn't take much to guess that he would be the last one to go in. Shifu was obviously still angry with him, and at the moment, Zhong was still too angry with himself to disagree with the panda's decision.

After waiting for about 60 seconds, Erdan looked up, to see Po and Shu walk into the kitchen. The boy climbed out of his chair, and stared intently at the giant panda standing before him. It was impossible. He never thought he'd actually see the Dragon Warrior in person. But he here he was right now, standing only a few feet away him. The panda who had defeated Tai Lung and freed Gongmen City from Lord Shen's rein of terror.

Po watched the boy carefully, looking for any signs of fatigue or stress. But all he saw was shock and excitement.

"You're the Dragon Warrior?", Erdan asked, his voice disbelieving.

"Yep", Po replied, in a slightly cheery voice.

A small grin appeared on Erdan's face, before he bent over before Po. The boy had belatedly realized that he had forgotten to bow to the panda, a crucial sign of respect in Ancient China. And considering how much Po had done for China, it was the least Erdan could do.

Po smiled, and bowed back, much to Erdan's shock. The Dragon Warrior was bowing to him. There was no way any of this could be real.

When he was finished, the panda lifted his head, and walked up to Erdan. "I hear you traveled all the way from Gongmen City to meet me?", Po asked.

Erdan nodded his head in silent reply.

"Awesome. You really saved my tail back in the village. You've got some mad skills with that bow and arrow kid", Po said gratefully.

"It was nothing", Erdan said, dismissing the panda's words. But secretly, the boy was thrilled that the Dragon Warrior was complimenting his archery skills.

"All right Shifu, you can send the others in now!", Po shouted, grinning fully now.

No sooner than Po had spoken, when five other creatures walked into the kitchen. Erdan walked a little closer, and stared at the faces of the Furious Five. They were more than just Po's teammates, they were also his family, and sometimes his 'crew' when it came to dance offs and rap battles. The Five all looked a little nervous, but Erdan barely noticed.

Master Tigress was even taller than he had imagined, the female tiger easily towered over him by two or three feet. It was kinda ironic really, since he was over four feet tall, Erdan had always been the tallest kid in whatever village he went to. Being the small one again would take some getting used to.

Master Monkey, on the other hand, was just as short as Erdan had pictured him, about three feet tall. But Erdan knew the yellow langur's size helped greatly him in battle. He knew that if had ever to fight Monkey in his element, the trees of China, he wouldn't last long against the seasoned pro.

Master Crane was an enigma to Erdan. He didn't understand how a bird with such skinny little legs could lift so much weight, legends said that he had even gave Po a lift on more than one occasion. Perhaps Erdan would never really understand the complexities of kung fu, after all, he was still only just an amateur, and these were all masters.

Erdan looked down, and smiled at Master Mantis, who gladly returned the grin. Mantis was another enigma to the young wolf cub. He was such a small bug, but he was so strong. And fast too. His speed along with small size made him almost impossible to see during a fight. But that wasn't his only advantage. Erdan knew the praying mantis had studied in the art of both acupuncture and nerve attacks, making him a formidable opponent in battle.

Finally, Erdan looked to the right, to see Master Viper slither into the room. He knew the female snake was ferocious in battle, often disarming her opponents by wrapping herself around them. But that wasn't the case in the present moment. Viper was smiling warmly at the boy, and gave comforting sort of aura. The kind of warm, fuzzy feeling you'd feel when an older sister is comforting her younger brother.

Erdan's previous suspicions were now confirmed, Po and the Furious Five were more than just friends, they were a family. Like the kind he used to have. Erdan bowed his head to the six masters, and they eagerly bowed back.

Tigress was the first to speak. "Are you okay kid?", she asked, obviously concerned.

"I'm fine Master Tigress, just a little tired", Erdan replied.

"A little? You have to be exhausted. I've never seen anyone your age travel over a hundred miles alone", Viper said concernedly, before slithering up to the boy to examine him more closely.

"Is it true you took down four croc bandits with only a bow and some arrows?", Monkey asked excitedly.

Erdan nodded his head for a moment, before curiosity washed over him again. He didn't remember the Furious Five being anywhere nearby at the time. The wolf cub turned to look at Po, his eyebrows raised.

"I may have told them about what happened in the alley", Po explained, before grinning sheepishly.

"Why don't we have an archer on our team? After all, kids are starting to get better at our jobs than us", Mantis asked, half-kidding and half-serious.

Erdan chuckled, before he lifted his head, and stared at the hallway again. Something he had just heard had caught his attention.

Master Shifu walked into the room, a small smile on the old panda's face. It comforted him a little to see the boy getting along so well with his students. But there was still one last thing that needed to be done. He had saved the hardest reunion for last. "Zhong, you can come in now", Shifu said quietly.

Erdan stiffened, and braced himself. He had known this moment was coming, and tried to remind himself that he wanted this reunion. This was his chance to get some closure, to finally get some answers for the all the questions he had. So long as he controlled his temper, and played his cards right, he had no reason to be worried.

Erdan, Shu, Po, Shifu, Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Mantis listened tensely as the sound footsteps echoed through the nearby hallway. Nine pairs of eyes zoomed in the doorway, as a familiar black and gray creature stepped into the kitchen. Zhong took a deep breath, and stepped inside, as Erdan trained his eyes on him.

Relief washed over Zhong, as he saw Erdan standing on both feet. It seemed Erdan was fine, just like Shifu said. But now came the hard part. Zhong forced himself to speak two little words. "Hello Erdan", Zhong said, as lightly as he could.

"Hello Yu", Erdan replied, his voice empty.

Neither wolf spoke a word, as their friends waited anxiously for one of them to make the first move. Instead, Zhong and Erdan continued to stare each other, the two roommates noting the differences between them.

Zhong noticed Erdan looked slightly different than the last time he saw him. He had obviously grown some in the past six months, and he was definitely skinnier. It seemed he had had little to eat during his travels. Zhong felt a sharp pang of guilt in chest, as he remembered that Erdan's weakened state was because of him. Everything that had happened to the boy was because of him.

Erdan stared at Zhong, comparing his current appearance to the way he looked in the boy's memories. Zhong looked mostly the same to Erdan, except for a few differences. For one, he had a drastic change of clothes. Zhong no longer wore his old army uniform, instead choosing to wear a villager's basic attire, comprised of vests and shorts. Besides that, he was also more well-fed. It seemed that Shifu and his students were feeding him much better than Shen ever did. Part of Erdan was glad about that, but another part was still angry and bitter. He had starved for months while Zhong had been stuffing his face with food. Still, Erdan's anger was miniscule compared to his relief. His old friend was indeed still alive, and that was all that mattered.

Erdan continued to stare at Zhong, waiting for him to say something. But as the seconds ticked by, the gray wolf remained silent. He wanted to say something, really badly, but he didn't know what. He didn't know how to explain his actions to the boy, or how to even begin to apologize for what he had done. Showing his sensitive side had never been Zhong's strong suit, and even though he never thought he'd be envious of Po, Zhong wished more than anything that he could be as open as the panda was about his feelings. But then Zhong realized there was nothing he _could_ say. There was no excuse for what he had did, and nothing he could do to make up for it. He didn't even deserve to be near the boy.

After a few more seconds, Erdan's face fell, and disappointment washed over him, as he realized he was never going to get any answers from Zhong. He wouldn't even speak to him. A small tear appeared under Erdan's eye, before he wiped it away, and turned towards Master Shifu. "Master, I've already eaten dinner, so can I be excused and go to my room?", Erdan requested.

Shifu hesitated a moment, before speaking. "Certainly", he replied.

Erdan nodded his head, before he walked past Zhong, and ran into the hallway. Zhong made no effort to stop him, but instead watched him leave, his heart heavy.

The kitchen was silent after that. No one wanted to say or do anything, until Mantis spoke up. "Well…that was awkward", he said.

Shifu sighed, and turned to Shu. "Shu, the sun has set, and it's too dangerous to be walking around after dark. I suggest you spend the night here in the palace", Shifu suggested.

"I would love to master, but all the rooms are palace filled", Shu reminded him.

"You can share a room with Tigress", Shifu replied.

"Ooh", Po winced, his voice simultaneous with Monkey, Mantis, and Crane's.

Shu ignored them, and turned towards Tigress. "You don't mind, do you?", Shu asked nervously.

"Not at all, I'm used to having to share a room with my teammates sometimes. At least you're a girl", Tigress replied, a small grin on the tiger's face.

Shu smiled back, it seemed that Tigress was capable of being open and friendly as well as angry and bitter.

"Excellent. Now that that's all settled, I suggest we eat dinner and then turn in for the night", Shifu resolved.

Shu walked up to Po, and tapped the panda on the shoulder. "Oh and Po, I saved these for you this morning. They're a bit cold, but they still taste good", Shu said, before giving him a plate of half-eaten pancakes.

"Thanks Shu", Po said, before eagerly taking the plate from her hand and digging in.

But while Po and his friends started eating, Zhong was the only one who remained silent, still deep in thought. He had missed his chance, again. He had let his fear control him, and now he was even further away from Erdan than before. He didn't know what the boy saw in him. He could never be anyone's father.

**((()-()))**

About an hour later, Shu stepped into Zhong's room. She knew it was almost time for lights out, but there was something she had to see first before she went to bed. Shu tip-toed inside, and walked up to the bedroom wall. Zhong's old uniform was hanging exactly where it had been that morning, above Zhong's mat. She walked up, and ran her fingers along the battered pieces of metal. The only physical proof of Zhong's past deeds. As she stared intently at the wolf's armor, Shu let her mind wander. She finally understood now. She knew the reason why someone who had been living in darkness for so long could have changed so much in only a few months. She had finally solved the mystery of Zhong's life. All it took was a son's love to unlock the kindness within the wolf's heart.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be sleeping with Tigress by now", a husky voice behind her asked. And Shu already knew who the voice belonged to. Zhong hadn't sounded angry, but instead curious about his girlfriend's presence. After all, Shu had never shown any interest in his room before.

Shu froze, knowing she had been caught, and turned to smile sheepishly at her boyfriend. "I couldn't sleep, so I came to look at something I noticed this morning", Shu admitted.

Zhong's gaze drifted to pieces of metal hanging on the wall, and he immediately understood. He turned towards Shu, his expression concerned. "Does it scare you?", he asked.

Shu hesitated for a moment, and looked at the wall again, before answering. "No. Not anymore anyway. I talked to Shifu this morning while you gone, and he told me about how hard you've worked to put the past behind you", she replied.

Zhong raised his eyebrows, his own curiosity tingling now. "Really? What did he say?", the gray wolf asked.

Shu blushed a bit before continuing. "Pretty much everything", she admitted, "How your mother died, how your family was killed, how you befriend Shen, are how you came here for redemption".

Zhong took a deep breath, as he realized Shu now knew everything of his past. Every secret he had ever kept private was now shared between the two of them.

Shu hung her head down guiltily, and put her hand on Zhong's shoulder. "Sorry my love, I know I shouldn't have gone behind your back, but my curiosity got the best of me", she apologized.

Zhong took in the she-wolf's words, and smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't apologize. I'm glad you know, it means there are no secrets between us now", Zhong replied. "Of course, you still haven't told me any of your secrets yet", he teased lightly.

"We'll get around to that someday", Shu replied embarrassingly.

"I'll look forward to that day", Zhong said, a small grin on his face.

**((()-()))**

Erdan yawned, the young wolf cub rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes as he walked down the hallway. His reasons for walking around the Jade Palace at night were really inconvenient, but were unfortunately unavoidable as well. He was about to go to bed when he realized he was thirsty, and decided to walk down to the kitchen to get a glass of water before Shifu called lights out. Suddenly, he heard someone talking in one of the palace bedrooms. Erdan knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but the preteen's curiosity was stronger than his sense of etiquette. He pressed his ear to the door, and listened to the voices on the other side. To his shock, he realized it was Zhong and Shu talking.

Unaware that Erdan was listening in, Shu nodded her head, when an important thought popped into her head. There was something she had meant to ask Zhong that afternoon, but things had kept getting in her way. "There is one other thing. Shifu told me that you had already regained some sense of compassion, even before Shen killed you. He said that something or someone had already changed you inside. That someone was Erdan, wasn't it?", she asked.

Outside the door, Erdan stiffened. He hadn't expected Shu to mention his name, and for a moment, he wondered if she knew he was listening. But he was far too curious now to worry about getting caught - he wanted to know the answer to Shu's question as badly as she did.

Zhong froze for a moment, his girlfriend's words taking him by surprise. He hadn't Shu's question to be as bold or as personal as it had been. For a moment, he contemplated not answering the she-wolf's question, but eventually decided that he owed her an answer, since he had kept her in the dark about that part of his past for so long.

As he waited for Zhong to answer, Erdan held his breath, hanging onto the wolf's words.

"Yes", Zhong replied simply.

Erdan exhaled for a long moment, before he stepped away from the door, letting Zhong's words wash over him. He leaned against one of the bedroom doors, and let himself slide down to the floor, unaware that he had drawn the attention of the panda sleeping inside.

Inside Zhong's bedroom, Shu wanted to ask her boyfriend more, but decided not to press the subject. She knew Zhong still wasn't the best at expressing his feelings, the awkward moment in the kitchen had proved that. Shu looked back at Zhong again, and finally realized that he was carrying a large burlap sack. "What's in the bag?", she asked curiously.

Zhong smiled, relived Shu had changed the subject. "A present from a friend", he replied, before reaching into the sack, and pulling out a large clay heart - the homemade gift he had received from Shu that morning.

Shu gasped. "When did you get that? We left it at my house this morning", Shu asked.

"When we were repairing the village, I decided to stop by your house and make sure the crocs didn't steal anything. Luckily, I locked the door before we left this morning. I saw both of our presents just lying there on the table, so I decided to bring them back to the palace. If I remember right, you never finished your chocolates this morning", Zhong explained, before handing the she-wolf a familiar box of chocolates.

"Thanks honey. I try not to go to bed on an empty stomach. But I don't know how I'll go to sleep tonight after a day like this", Shu said, before taking a bite out of one of the candies. For Shu, it felt good to remember the sentimental moment they had shared in her kitchen that morning. After all the craziness and near-death experiences that had happened that day, it felt good to look back on a simpler time, when she had dined with her beloved and just hung out with friends.

In the hallway, Erdan continued to listen to the two wolves' conversation, when the door to Po's bedroom opened. Erdan's eyes widened, as he realized he had been caught in the act. It took the sleepy panda a moment to realize that Erdan shouldn't have been standing outside his bedroom door. "Hey, what are you?-", Po asked, before he was cut off.

Erdan quickly leapt up, and wrapped his paw around Po's mouth, not wanting Zhong and Shu to know he'd been listening. Erdan raised his other paw to his lip, as a way of telling Po to be quiet. Po quickly understood and nodded his head.

To Erdan's relief, neither Zhong or Shu had noticed the noise outside, they were too busy laughing at each other's jokes. Suddenly, an idea popped in Zhong's head, and a toothy grin flashed on the wolf's face. "If you're not tired, then I could always sing you to sleep", he suggested.

Shu raised her eyebrow for a moment, and placed her box of chocolates down, before speaking. "You're kidding right?", she asked.

"Not today", Zhong replied, grinning widely now.

In the hallway, both Po and Erdan's mouths dropped. Surely Zhong didn't say what they thought he had said. Luckily for them, they got their answer soon enough, when Shu spoke what they were all were thinking.

"Sing? You?", Shu asked, her voice disbelieving.

"I used to have kids, remember? Some nights their mother wasn't home and they couldn't sleep, so I used to sing them to sleep myself", Zhong explained wistfully, while happily remembering his days as a family man. It had been over 30 years ago, but the memories of his wife and kids still felt like they had only happened yesterday. "But I understand if you'd rather want to lie awake for hours and hours", Zhong suggested, before he was cut off.

"Alright, you made your point. Besides, right now, I'm willing to try anything", Shu said, before lying down on the floor.

Zhong chuckled, and sat down next to her, while both Po and Erdan pressed their ears to the door. "Oh, this is gonna be good", Po whispered eagerly. The panda couldn't even imagine Zhong trying to sing. He imagined the one-eyed wolf would be wildly out of tune, and mangle every single note before he even got past the first verse.

Zhong looked down at Shu, as he contemplated what song he would sing to her. It would be something that represented his love for her, and all they had been through together. Zhong knew exactly what made Shu special. Despite everything he had done, she had always accepted him for he was. She had left out all the horrible things of the past, in favor for who the wolf was inside. The truth was that he didn't deserve her. He could never dream of being as pure and good as she was. His furry little angel. It was then that he knew what Shu's lullaby would be. Zhong cleared his throat for a moment, before he started to sing.

"_**Leave Out All The Rest**_" by Linkin Park begins.

"_**I dreamed I was missing, and you were so scared. But no one would listen, 'cause no one else cared**_", Zhong began, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Shu's eyes widened, and she grinned in surprise. She understood why Zhong's kids liked his singing now. Despite the deep husky tone he always had when he spoke, Zhong's voice was surprisingly stable, not to mention soft and gentle. The gentle lullaby quickly worked it's magic on Shu, and she started to feel sleepy. But she wasn't ready to sleep yet, she wanted to hear the rest of Zhong's song.

"_**After my dreaming, I woke with this fear: 'What am I leaving, when I'm done here?'**_", Zhong continued.

Outside the bedroom, Po and Erdan stared at each other in disbelief. Both the wolf and panda had their mouths open wide, and pressed their ears even closer to the door. Zhong had never seemed like the singing type to either one of them, but even they had to admit the wolf had talent. Po found himself tapping his foot to the song's smooth beat.

"_**So if you're asking me, I want you to know…**_", Zhong sang, his voice trailing off at the end.

Po, Erdan, and Shu were all shocked when Zhong's voice suddenly raised during the chorus section. Not enough to wake up anyone else in the palace, but loud enough for Po and Erdan to hear him more clearly through the door.

"_**When my time comes! Forget the wrong that I've done, help me leave behind some reasons to be missed!**_", Zhong sang. "_**And don't resent me! And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory! Leave out all the rest! Leave out all the rest!**_", Zhong continued, before moving onto the third verse.

The gray wolf bent over, and rubbed his paw against Shu's forehead. He could already tell his beloved was growing more and sleepy - she would be out like a light soon enough. "_**Don't be afraid, I've taken my beating, I've shared what I've made. I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through. I've never been perfect, but neither have you**_", Zhong continued.

Shu glanced up at her boyfriend, a small smile on the she-wolf's face. She could tell his song came from the heart, and from personal experience. What's more, she knew the song was about the special bond they shared. Normally, she might have joined in, but Shu was finding it harder and harder to even keep her eyes open. "_**So if you're asking me, I want you to know…**_", Zhong sang, allowing his voice to trail off again for the second time.

"_**When my time comes! Forget the wrong that I've done! Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed! Don't resent me! And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory! Leave out all the rest! Leave out all the rest!**_", Zhong sang, repeating the chorus section.

Shu knew she didn't have the strength to fight her sleepiness any longer, and let her heavy eyelids close shut, succumbing to her overwhelming exhaustion. Po and Erdan on the other hand, listened intently as Zhong moved onto the bridge section.

Zhong smiled, and watched as Shu drifted into a sea of unconsciousness. However, he still didn't stop singing. The soulful song was helping him vent his emotions as well as putting Shu to sleep, and Zhong felt like he needed some way to vent after the day's life changing events. "_**Forgetting all the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well! Pretending someone else can come and save me from myself! I can't be who you are!**_", Zhong continued, before gently lifting up Shu in his arms.

"_**When my time comes! Forget the wrong that I've done! Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed! Don't resent me! And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory! Leave out all the rest! Leave out all the rest!**_", Zhong continued, before his voice softened again. The gray wolf then started walking towards the door.

Po and Erdan gasped, as they realized what would happen if Zhong caught them eavesdropping. The two quickly backed away from the door and ran out of the hallway, only a few seconds before Zhong stepped out of his room, still cradling an unconscious Shu in his arms. Zhong slowly walked her towards Tigress' room, while singing the final verses of his song.

"_**Forgetting all the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well. Pretending someone else can come and save me from myself. I can't be who you are, I can't be who you are**_", Zhong finished softly. A few seconds later, Zhong returned from Tigress' room, empty-handed this time, and closed his bedroom door.

Po and Erdan breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to each other. "Whoa", Po whispered, a small grin on the panda's face. Suddenly, he remembered something he had wanted to ask the orphan cub before. "What were you doing anyway? I thought you'd be asleep by now", Po asked curiously.

Erdan hesitated for a moment, obviously embarrassed, before answering. "I was just going to kitchen when I heard them talking", Erdan explained awkwardly. He reached into his pocket, and felt his paw touch something solid and papery. Erdan quickly realized what it was, and extracted it from his pocket. Erdan stared at Yu's letter, and then looked at Po, before it dawned on him. He still had his mission to complete. Even though Yu wasn't even dead, and the point was now moot, Erdan had still traveled a hundred miles just to give the Dragon Warrior his note, and he figured that he might as well give it to him now.

"I have something I need to show you Dragon Warrior. I've been waiting a long time to give it to you", Erdan explained, before handing Po the crumpled-up piece of paper.

Po took the paper from the boy's hand, and unfolded it. To Po's surprise, he realized it was written in Zhong's handwriting. It was the good-bye note Zhong said he had written to Erdan before the final battle of Gongmen City. "Why are you giving me this?", Po asked, confused. But by the time the panda looked up, Erdan was already gone.

_**Author's Note:**_

I admit that my pacing has slowed down a lot lately, I went from posting a chapter every week to posting one every two weeks. Before, it was the exposition that was slowing me down, but this time was entirely my fault. I'm the kind of person who can get distracted really easily, and focusing on writing has been getting difficult lately, especially with spring break right around the corner. But I consider myself lucky to have this much free time on my hands. Back in the Balto community, I knew some college guys who were so busy they could only update every few months. So I have a lot to be thankful for. I'd also like to thank Wolflover111, the author of the original Erdan, for reviewing this story. It's an incredible honor to receive a compliment from you, since your story helped inspire me to start writing again. I wish you the best of luck with "_**Redemption**_", and know that you have my support.

Another thing I'd like to point out is that this chapter pays off a lot of things left unresolved in some of the earlier chapters. Such as, Yu's letter, Zhong's gift to Shu, Po's unfinished pancakes, Zhong's old uniform, Shifu's conversation with Shu, and the apples Erdan bought in the farmer's market. Before, these things were all random and unrelated, but now they all help to move the plot forward. Zhong's lullaby to Shu is "_**Leave Out All The Rest**_" by Linkin Park, from the "_**Twilight**_" soundtrack (2008). When I was thinking about what song would best represent Zhong and Shu's relationship, "_**Leave Out All The Rest**_" fit perfectly. The soft rock track tells a story of love and redemption, and how a woman learns to forgive her boyfriend, despite the mistakes of his past.

In the next chapter, Po reads Zhong's letter, and he, along with the Five, decide to give Zhong some advice about seeking Erdan's forgiveness. Next week is spring break, and I have no doubt I'll get distracted again, so I have no idea when the next chapter will be posted. Until then, this is the Cool Kat, signing off.


	8. Chapter 8: The Big Bad Wolf

_**Author's Note:**_

Hello readers, it's The Cool Kat again. I'm back from spring break, and I've brought Chapters 8 and 9 of "_**A Father's Love**_" with me. Since these two chapters are so closely linked, I decided it was best to release them both at the same time, and thus held off posting Chapter 8 for another week so I could finish Chapter 9. There's also another reason, but I'll explain that later. Anyway, we'll begin where we left off in Chapter 7, with Po receiving Erdan's letter.

_**Chapter 8: The Big Bad Wolf.**_

Po looked to the left, and then to the right, but there was no sign of Erdan anywhere. It was like the boy had just vanished into thin air. Finally, he realized that Erdan must have gone back to his room as soon he handed him the note. "_Geez, why do all wolves move so quietly?_", Po thought curiously.

Po stared at the wrinkled letter in his hand, confused. Obviously, Erdan had given him Zhong's letter for a reason, but Po still didn't understand why. On one hand, the letter was addressed to Erdan, not him, and he had barely even known Zhong at the time. But on the other hand, the boy had traveled a hundred miles just to give it to him, so he might as well read it.

Po started at the introduction, and worked his way down. As he slowly took in the words on the piece of paper, he was shocked by what he found. And the note quickly went from shocking to jaw-dropping in only a few sentences. One sentence especially caught his eye. "_I joined Shen's army after my wife and child and many of my pack were killed by pandas_".

Po eyes widened in shock, and he read the last phrase again. "_My wife and child were killed by pandas_".

This time, Po only read the last three words - "_Killed by pandas_".

Po stepped back, and let the letter slip from his hand. What he had just read couldn't be true. Why would pandas want to kill Zhong's family? He had never known any pandas that were bloodthirsty killers. But then again, he had never known any other pandas at all, he was the only survivor of a massacre.

As the world started spinning around him, Po desperately tried to come up with a solution. Po knew he wasn't evil, most of the time anyway (not counting that incident with the sacred Mirror of Ying and Yang). After all, he couldn't have became the Dragon Warrior if he was a killer. So maybe the pandas were just like any other species, some were good and some were evil, and Po just happened to be part of the latter. After all, it wasn't too farfetched. Wolves were known to be nothing but thieves and murderers, but from the time he had spent with Erdan, Po knew the young wolf cub was nothing like that at all. And Shu didn't seem like a cold-blooded killer either. So maybe you really couldn't judge a book by it's cover.

But the most shocking part of the panda's recent revelation was that Zhong had never told him about any of this. Po knew that he and Zhong shared a lot of secrets, but this apparently wasn't one of them, just like how he had never spoken about his friendship with Erdan. As Erdan once again entered his mind, Po picked up the boy's letter, and continued reading, wanting to know more about Zhong's past.

Most of the stuff Zhong had written down, Po already knew. During the second and third paragraphs, the letter explained why Zhong had befriended Erdan, and what to do in case of his death. But the words seemed much more powerful and moving on paper than they had when Zhong was explaining them that morning.

During the third paragraph, Po was surprised to find Zhong had referred to himself as a coward, and remembered Erdan's words from that morning. The young wolf cub's words echoed in Po's head. "_Your letter was right about one thing. You are a coward. You always have been, and you always will be. People have _died_ for your cowardice, good people, while you're still here_". Erdan's anger had hurt Zhong so badly, and now Po knew why, because the one-eyed wolf truly believed it was true.

Finally, it all made sense. All of Zhong's guilt, the harsh words Erdan had said to him in the village, it had all been so overwhelming and confusing before. But it had only seemed that way because Po had been missing an important piece of information. And the letter was the missing piece in the Zhong/Erdan mystery.

Po slowly refolded the letter, and tucked it in the pocket of his shorts. He wanted to talk to Zhong right now and ask him more about the note, but he was sure his wolf bud was already asleep. It seemed the Dragon Warrior would just have to wait until the morning to get his answers.

**((()-()))**

"_**Tooth and Claw**_" by Murray Gold begins.

_Several days later, a very angry wolf cub walked through the village at night, trying to find somewhere he could stay. He had just finished recuperating from his travels, and had spent all day trying to find a home, But none of the local boarding houses would take him. Apparently, wolves weren't welcome in the sacred Valley of Peace, because they couldn't risk him eating any of the other occupants. Erdan sighed, and laid down in the snow. It seemed he would have to sleep under the stars tonight, again. _

_Just as Erdan was about to lie down on the ground and get some sleep, a loud noise rang out across the street, shattering the silence of night. Erdan immediately knew what it was, a wolf's howl - an unmistakable sign that another one of his kind was near. _

_Confused, Erdan looked all around him for the source, but saw no one else in the empty street except for a few passersby. But even though he couldn't see any danger, Erdan knew it had to be somewhere nearby. The hair on the back on his neck stood up high, and every one of his instincts were screaming at him to run for his life. He hadn't been this scared since the attack on his native village, and that had been over a year ago._

_Finally, Erdan noticed something out of the corner of his eye, something that just didn't belong in the lonely night scene. Standing on top of one of the village huts was a large gray wolf, staring down at his helpless prey. Erdan already could tell, by the look in the savage creature's eyes, what he intended to do, and the wolf cub's fight or flight instinct kicked in. Erdan immediately stood up, and ran for his life. His muscles ached from all the running he had been doing lately, but he didn't dare slow down. He knew that from the moment he decided to run, his pursuer would already be right on his tail._

_Up ahead, he could see a few pigs talking amongst themselves as usual, completely oblivious to the chase that was happening just down the street. "Help! Help me!", Erdan shouted, screaming as loud as he could to get their attention. But as Erdan ran past them, the wary pigs never even glanced in the boy's direction, like they hadn't even heard him speak. Erdan growled, as he remembered he was a wolf, and thus his fate was of no concern to the local villagers. After all, who would care if a killer was killed himself?_

_By now, Erdan's heart was racing, and the boy was panting heavily. His face would have been soaked in salt water if canines could sweat. He wanted to stop and rest so badly, but he could already hear the sound of heavy paws crushing the snow, and he knew his adversary was only a few feet behind him. As he gradually started to slow down, Erdan knew he was doomed. No matter how hard he ran, his chaser could run faster. No matter how hard he fought, he would still be no match against his older, more experienced opponent. Erdan knew the only reason he had lasted this long was because his wolven brother was toying with him, playing with his prey before he went in for the kill. After all, wolves were known for having a sick sense of humor._

_Finally, the moment Erdan had been dreading arrived. The wolf cub tripped over his right foot, and landed face-first in the winter snow. Erdan screamed in pain, as a horrible burning sensation spread throughout his leg. It didn't take a doctor to guess he had sprained his ankle. As he writhed in pain, he didn't look up, he didn't try to run, he didn't even try to move, because he already knew it was over. _

_The sound of someone running finally stopped, and Erdan knew his chaser had joined him. Erdan mustered just enough strength to lift his head, and stared at the huge creature standing over him. "Zhong, Yu, whatever your name is, why are you doing this?", Erdan asked angrily._

_Zhong grinned ruefully, and bent over the boy. "Because, I tried, tried so hard to change. For Po, for Shu, for Shifu. But I finally realized something. You were right, I am a killer. I have been all my life, so why try to change now?", Zhong replied, before slowly advancing towards the injured wolf cub._

_Erdan closed his eyes, and prayed that his death would be quick. The only good thing about his horrible fate was that his trials would finally be over. After a year of pain and suffering, he would finally be joining his parents in the afterlife._

_Zhong chuckled one last time, before he wrapped his hands around Erdan's neck, and snapped the boy's neck in two, allowing the orphan's blood to spill all over the freshly fallen snow. As Erdan's life force quickly faded away, Zhong admired the context of the wolf's blood. It was so thick and warm. So tempting and delicious. Zhong had almost forgotten how good it felt to kill. To take away another person's life using his own two paws. It made him feel strong and powerful. Maybe even invincible. For the first time in almost a year, he felt like himself again. The big bad wolf was back._

**((()-()))**

Zhong's good eye wrenched itself open, and the gray wolf forced himself upward. He panted heavily, and quickly surveyed his surroundings. To his relief, he realized he was still lying on his mat in his room. It was still dark outside, but the sun would be rising soon. Everything he had seen had only been a nightmare. A horrible, horrible nightmare.

After taking a moment to let his heartbeat slow, Zhong sighed, and walked over to the far edge of his room. It was pitch black inside, but he could still see every inch of his living quarters. It was nights like these he was glad his kind had built-in night vision.

Zhong slowly bent over, and scraped the floor with his claws until he found what he looking for, a wooden handle. The handle was a part of the secret compartment in his floor where he kept all his personal items. The Jade Palace was known for having many secret rooms and trap doors, and this just happened to be one of them. Inside, he could see several small objects, things that would have seemed random and useless to any stranger, but were almost priceless to him.

One of the things Zhong recognized was the teddy bear Po had got him for Christmas. He used to play with it a long time ago, back when he was only just pup. Several years before he would meet Shen, and at least a decade before he began to let his heart become dark. The old, tattered bear was one of the only things that reminded him of his childhood. It reminded him that he hadn't always been a monster, and that there was once a time when he was just an innocent little boy. And even more than that, it reminded him of his family, and the way they used to be.

Zhong smiled, and picked up the bear for a moment, before he placed it on the floor and kept searching through the compartment. Finally, he found what he was looking for, a small piece of red cloth. Just like his old bear, it would have seemed like useless clutter to anyone else, but to Zhong, it was the thing that kept him going everyday. The red bandana Erdan wore when Zhong first met him, over nine months ago.

A small tear rolled down Zhong's good eye, and the gray wolf stood up. Suddenly, he felt the need to be alone. To be away from his friends for a while and think about what he was going to do next. And he knew exactly where he needed to go, the same place everyone went when they seeked spiritual guidance - Oogway's sacred peach tree.

Zhong put his bear back in the compartment and sealed it up, but placed Erdan's bandana in his shorts' pocket. Zhong slowly stepped out of his room, and slid the door close as quietly as he could, he didn't want to wake anyone. From there, he walked down the hallway, taking extra care to make sure he didn't step on any of the creaky floorboards. Zhong paused as he walked past Erdan's room, before he sighed sadly, and kept walking.

**((()-()))**

Soon, Zhong arrived at his destination. Several meters away from the Jade Palace, a huge cliff overlooked the valley. The only thing that was even close to the edge was a lone peach tree, which Zhong knew Master Oogway had planted many years ago, when it was just a small peach pit.

Zhong leaned against Oogway's tree, and stared up at the night sky. There were no clouds in the sky that night, he could see the moon and stars perfectly. It was like staring at all of space itself, billions and billions of planets, stars, solar systems, and galaxies. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and all Zhong wanted at that moment was to reach out and touch. But since he couldn't, he did the next best thing.

Zhong opened his mouth wide, and let a long, soulful howl escape his from his throat. It felt strange actually. He was used to howling as a signal to his troops, and even as a cry to war, but this was the first time he had ever howled for no reason at all. Soon, Zhong realized that it not only felt weird, but it also felt good as well.

When he was finished, Zhong leaned against the peach tree again, and looked all around him. It had been a long time since he had last visited. The first time he came was when Po helped him unearth memories of his father. Then when he was first accepted into the Furious Five. And finally, when he admitted to Po that he had never had a Christmas before and that he liked Shu. All those times had been crucial moments in his new life, major challenges that he was able to overcome with the help of his new friends. But this was his biggest challenge so far, and he didn't know how even they could help him find a solution for this one. Because, for once, Zhong already knew what he _wanted_ to do, but he didn't know if it was the _right_ thing to do.

Zhong continued thinking silently to himself for a few minutes, which is why he didn't notice anything when a giant panda and his friends walked up the cliff. Po, Shu, and the Furious Five watched Zhong curiously, until the gray wolf finally acknowledged their presence. Though he was surprised to see them, he still didn't make any effort to get up.

"Zhong, what are you doing out here this late?", Po asked curiously.

"Just thinking to myself", Zhong replied simply. Though he had tried to sound nonchalant, Po wasn't buying it. The giant panda knew Zhong well enough by now to know when something was troubling him, and Po had a pretty good idea what it was.

"We heard you howling so we decided to come check on you", Viper explained.

"Thanks, I guess", Zhong replied awkwardly.

Viper nodded her head, while Po walked up next to the peach tree, and sat down next to Zhong. After getting comfortable, Po turned and stared at Zhong, unsure about whether or not he should tell the wolf about what was on his mind. After all, if Zhong never told him about his family's death, then it had to have been something he didn't want to remember. Finally, Po decided that he had to know. "How come you never told me your family were killed by pandas?", Po asked curiously.

For the first time since he noticed the panda's arrival, Zhong became intrigued by Po's words. The gray wolf stiffened, and turned to stare at Po shockingly. "How do you know about that?", Zhong asked.

Po slowly reached into his pocket, and extracted Zhong's letter, which by now was torn in several spots, but still readable. "Erdan gave this to me after he woke up. He said the whole reason he traveled here was so I could get your letter", Po explained.

As Zhong slowly took in the panda's explanation, he leaned back against the peach tree.

"You never answered my question", Po said, his curiosity growing.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, and then sighed. He had already revealed so many secrets about himself that day, he might as well reveal one more. Besides, he figured Po deserved an answer to his question. "They weren't", Zhong replied quietly.

"_**The Doctor's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Po blinked, and raised his eyebrows, confused by the wolf's answer. "But your note said they were", Po argued.

"I didn't know what I was talking about when I wrote that letter. My family wasn't killed by pandas, they were killed by my…my former best friend", Zhong explained, before glancing at Po to gauge the panda's reaction.

"Shen?", Po realized, even more confused now.

"On the night of the panda massacre, Shen deceived us all. He murdered my wife and kids in cold blood, and convinced me that the pandas were to blame, so I'd aid him in his quest for power", Zhong further explained, wincing as he remembered the darkest day in his life - the day he learned he had lost his only family.

"It's my fault they died. Their lives would never have been lost if I had never met Shen. And the worst part was that I believed his lies for so long. I let myself become a killer, just to avenge a crime that never happened. The day I wrote that letter to Erdan was just one day before I would learn the truth", Zhong continued, speaking more to himself now than to Po.

"When was that?", Po asked, bending over now so that he could hear Zhong's words more clearly.

Zhong turned towards Po again, a rueful expression on the gray wolf's face. "The day he killed me. When I was dying, he whispered the truth into my ear", Zhong replied simply, fighting back the urge to cringe as he remembered those 24 hours he had spent in limbo, torn between life and death.

"But how come you never told me about any of this?", Po asked.

"I'd already caused you enough pain panda. I didn't want to dredge up any more painful memories of your parents' deaths just to ease my own guilty conscience. Besides, even if my family had been killed by the pandas, there's still no excuse for what I've done", Zhong explained, his ears drooping.

"But surely you haven't been keeping all that bottled up for this long?", Po inquired, concerned.

"I never told you Po, but I've talked to Shifu about it, and Shu", Zhong replied. With that having been said, Zhong closed his good eye, and went silent again.

Po took a deep breath, and let the recent news wash over him. His clan weren't killers after all. As much as a huge relief that was to him, he still knew how horrible Zhong had to be feeling at that moment. Po felt immensely guilty about making him have to relieve those painful memories just to quench his own curiosity, and immediately knew what needed to be said. Po leaned over, and placed his paw on Zhong's shoulder. Po smiled at the wolf. "I forgive you", he said.

"For what?", Zhong asked confusingly, opening his eyes again.

"For everything, including that whole, 'hammering me in the face' thing. If it's any consolation, I forgave you for that months ago", Po replied cheerily.

When Zhong didn't reply, Po's face fell slightly. It was obvious something else was troubling him, and it didn't take long to guess what it was. "You're still thinking about Erdan, aren't you?", Po asked, though he already knew the answer.

Zhong hesitated, but while he was confessing secrets, he felt he might as well get his guilt over Erdan off his chest as well. "Yes. I just don't know what to do next", Zhong replied, sighing.

"Isn't it obvious? All you have to do is explain yourself to him, and ask for his forgiveness, and then you two can be friends again", Po replied.

"It's not that simple Po. Erdan doesn't just see me as friend, he sees me as his father, we both know that. But I'm not the right guy to be anybody's father", Zhong said, letting his head hang slightly.

"But you've been a dad before", Po argued.

"That was a long time ago panda. I've killed people, dozens of people. Erdan said I was monster, and he was right. If I ever got angry at him and lost control of myself, I could kill him so easily. I could rip his throat open, or cut his head off, and even snap his spine. And I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to him because of me", Zhong explained, shuddering as the cryptic visions of his nightmare played in his head again.

"So is that why you haven't spoken to Erdan yet? Because you think you might hurt him?", Po realized, the panda's jade green eyes widening in shock.

Zhong nodded his head, and Po placed his paw on the wolf's shoulder. "Zhong, that's crazy. Do you honestly think you could lay a paw on Erdan? The kid who helped you find your sense of compassion again?", Po asked.

Zhong thought about Po's words for a moment, but still had no answer. When he saw Zhong was still doubting himself, Po decided it was time to lift his spirits. "Zhong, despite that bad temper of yours, you are the one of the most compassionate people I know. I know it doesn't always show, well, it hardly ever shows, but it's there", Po said reassuringly, before correcting himself.

Zhong still didn't reply, and Po's ears dropped. Suddenly, an idea popped inside the panda's head, and the panda grinned mischievously. "Zhong, do you remember breakfast yesterday? We never did settle our argument about Hun Dun, about whether he's real or not", Po reminded him.

"You mean the guy you made up?", Zhong asked sarcastically.

"I didn't make him up, he's real. I can't help it if you're too much of a chicken to come see for yourself", Po replied teasingly.

At the word 'chicken', Zhong growled, but still didn't move, determined not to let Po get to him.

"You can fight off a gang of boars, but you're too scared to come with me to Chor-Gom. Or maybe, you're just afraid that when you'll get there, you'll find out I'm right", Po continued.

Zhong turned, and growled at Po. "Look panda, if Hun Dun _is_ real, I'll come with you to Chor-Gom to see him for myself. I'll do anything to get you off my back", Zhong insisted, before sitting down again.

But while Zhong was in another of his sour moods, Po seemed to be as giddy as a school girl for some odd reason. "I knew you could do it", the panda grinned.

"Do what?", Zhong asked, irritated.

"You controlled yourself. I made you angry with me, but you didn't lash out. Not only wasn't there any throat-ripping, but you didn't even throw a punch. If that's not self-control, I don't know what is", Po explained cheerily.

Zhong slowly lifted his head, as he realized Po was right. Controlling his temper was something he had done for so long now that he barely even noticed he was doing it anymore. A year ago, he would have lost it completely, but during his training with Shifu and Five, he had learned to take the panda's teasing in stride.

"Zhong, you and I get on each other's nerves all the time, but you've never tried to kill me, well not recently anyway. If you were really a monster, then you would have gotten rid of me a long time ago, and not just me, Shu and the Five as well. But you haven't, and if you can control yourself around us, then you can control yourself with Erdan", Po reasoned.

Zhong took a deep breath, and nodded his head, before a new problem arose. "Even if I can control myself, you heard what Erdan said in the village. He wants nothing to do with me, and I can't really blame him. The whole reason I left in the first place was because I didn't want to kill his chances of a having future because of the mistakes _I_ made", Zhong reminded him.

Po was just about to say something, when Shu decided to speak up. "And look at how well that turned out. I was with Erdan all of today, and I didn't see any kind of hatred towards you. All I saw was a sad little boy who desperately needs a father, and he doesn't know if his only friend in the world cares about him. If Erdan knew you loved him, he could forgive you like I did", Shu stated. "Just because you're not related to someone by blood, it doesn't mean that they're not your family", Shu insisted, remembering Shifu's wise words from the day before.

Po nodded, agreeing with the she-wolf's words, before turning back towards Zhong. "Shu's right, I know what it's like to be alone, and I know how much a kid needs a father in their life. When I first met my dad, I was just a kid, and I didn't know he wasn't my real father, but I wouldn't have cared either way. He was there for me when I needed him. He fed me and gave me a nice warm home. He comforted me when I was sad, and supported me when I became the Dragon Warrior, even though he knew that meant we wouldn't have as much together as we used to. He was the best dad anyone could ever ask for, and maybe all Erdan needs is a father's love too", Po suggested.

Zhong was about to speak, when to everyone's surprise, Tigress decided to join in the conversation. "I know what Po means, about how a kid can find a father figure in anyone. When I was just a cub in the Bau Gu orphanage, everyone thought I was monster. Eventually, it got so bad that I started to think so too. But the worst part was having to suffer through it all alone. And it was like that for years, until the day Master Shifu found me", Tigress spoke.

Zhong, Po, and Shu stared at Tigress surprisingly. The female master hardly ever spoke of her childhood, unless she felt like she really needed to give someone some advice. Zhong especially listened to what the tiger had to say. In a weird sort of way, he and Tigress actually had a lot in common. When he first came to the Jade Palace, she had helped him to overcome the memories of his past, in the very same spot they were sitting in right now.

"Shifu taught me how to control my anger, and learn discipline through kung fu training. He was the first person to ever believe in me, and the only one who ever saw me as something more than just some evil monster. But that wasn't all he did for me. He brought me here to the Jade Palace, so that I could train with his next generation of students. And after a few years, he even trusted me enough to make me the leader of the Furious Five", Tigress continued.

"I trained as hard as I did because I wanted to impress him. I wanted to make sure he never regretted his decision to take me in. But Shifu was still so hurt by Tai Lung's betrayal that he never even noticed how I felt about him. And I know now that Shifu will never know this, but he was like the father I never had", Tigress explained, a small tear beginning to roll her face.

"Tigress, that's so…deep", Po whispered, still in shock from the tiger's wisdom.

Tigress nodded her head, while Po slowly wiped her tears away. "Thanks Po", Tigress said appreciatively. Po grinned, when Tigress suddenly spoke again. "But if you ever anyone I cried, I'll kill you", she added with a small growl.

"I know Tigress, I know", Po replied, not really that scared by the tiger's threat.

With that, Tigress stood up, and walked off to join the rest of the Furious Five.

Po turned to Zhong again, a small smile on the panda's face. "What Tigress and I are trying to say is that it doesn't matter who you are or what you've done in the past. So long as you really care about Erdan, he'll care about you. I'll think you'll find that kids are more forgiving than you'd think", Po said, before the panda stood up and walked off with his friends.

Zhong thought about Po's words for a few moments, before he turned and stared at his three best friends. He took in all their smiling faces, and happily remembered all the good times they had shared in the past six months.

Po, the panda who had first accepted him into the valley. That day had been a miracle for Zhong, and his panda brother had been there for him in his times of need ever since. Though there were times he wanted to rip the panda's head off, there were also times when he wanted to cry on Po's shoulder and hug the panda with joy. A tough, macho guy like Zhong would have never thought that hugging a dude would be comforting, but there was something about leaning into Po's big, jiggly body fat that could calm ever the most frazzled of nerves. Zhong would probably never admit it, but Po was his best friend, in the same way Shen used to be, and he thanked god he finally had a real friend again.

Shu, the girl of his dreams. After they first met during the holiday season, she had managed to see past his flaws and love him for he was, despite his past. Quite an enormous task for someone he had just met. Even now, as they were all caught up in this Erdan dilemma, she continued to stand by his side and support his decisions.

Tigress, who had been like a sister to him. Though at first, they had gotten off to a rocky start (she had tried to beat him to a pulp many, many times), Tigress had always understood his problems just as well as Po and Shu had. Sometimes, she even understood them better. Because she had been alone during most of her childhood, just like he had when he was a pup. Just like how he was thankful to have Po for a friend, Zhong couldn't imagine his new life in the Valley without Tigress to give him a good kick in the pants whenever he needed one.

With the help of his friends, he had been able to overcome so much. And if he could find the courage to do what he needed to then, he could do it again now. Po was right, no child deserved to live life alone. Erdan needed a father, and though Zhong was not exactly an ideal parent, he would just have to do.

Zhong stood up, and started to walk back to the Jade Palace. He knew if he was going to talk to Erdan, he had to do it now, before he changed his mind again.

Just as he reached the front door, Po called out to him. "Hey! I'm still holding you to your word about our little agreement! Hun Dun is real, and I'll see you at Chor-Gom when this is all over!", Po reminded him.

Zhong grinned, and rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way", Zhong replied, before he open the palace doors, and stepped inside the Hall of Warriors.

A few minutes later, Zhong stood outside Erdan's bedroom door, and took a deep breath. He didn't know if he could do this. He didn't know if he could find the strength to go inside. He didn't even know if Erdan _would_ talk to him. But what he _did_ know was that he had to try. After taking one last deep breath to steel himself, Zhong raised one of his paws, and knocked on Erdan's door.

**((()-()))**

_**Author's Note:**_

The title of this chapter worked for so many reasons. Danny McBride (the voice of Wolf Boss in "_**Kung Fu Panda 2**_") once described his character as being a big bad wolf, and I decided that would be the name of this chapter, since we're harkening back on some of Zhong's killer instincts. And if you notice, Po says the phrase "_**A Father's Love**_" when he's talking to Zhong (I couldn't resist putting the name inside the story). But besides the title, there are also a few other things I'd like to point out about this chapter.

In chapter 6, I established that Zhong has many, many fears about Erdan's safety, and I felt it was important that Zhong get past those fears before he talks to Erdan (it's amazing what you find the time for in filler chapters like these). I felt the best way to get Zhong to admit his fears was if he was forced to confront them after having a bad nightmare about Erdan. I apologize if Zhong's nightmare was a bit too graphic, I watch of lot of werewolf movies and it's sort of desensitized me to the horror. In fact, the music I chose to underscore Zhong's dream is the werewolf's theme from "_**Tooth and Claw**_" (2006), one of my favorite episodes of "_**Doctor Who**_".

Lighter chapters like this one are some of my favorite ones to write, because they're often filled with many golden opportunities that you'd otherwise wouldn't have time for with some of the bigger, more complicated chapters. Because when you have plenty of time and/or space to kill, you often come up with all kinds of fun things in your head. For example, this chapter presented an opportunity for Po and Zhong to talk about things they've never talked about before, like Zhong once believing his family was killed by pandas.

It was also a chance to expand on the family dynamic Po and the Furious Five have. We got a glimpse of it back in chapter 3, when Zhong and Shu have breakfast Po and his friends, and they all start making small talk. Like I mentioned before, Po and his friends are more than just teammates, they're a family, and that sense of camaraderie has gotten them through many tough times. And sometimes, your family has to slap some sense back into you when you really need it (metaphorically, of course), which is just what Po and Tigress do in this chapter. And as for the moment where Tigress cries, I hesitated a bit with that decision, but eventually decided to go through with it. Simply because there just aren't enough stories on this site where we get to see the softer, more sisterly side of Tigress.

As Zhong mentions in this chapter, he truly treasures his friendship with Po and the Five, and I was really able to connect to that when I was writing it. Because I love a good romance story (whether it's the traditional rom-com between a guy and a girl, or something a little more alternative, like "_**Brokeback Mountain**_"), but I also understand how rare and how precious friendship is. When you're like me, people will barely even go near you, let alone talk to you. So the close group friends that I do have, I try to make sure I never to take them for granted. After all, I can't imagine where I'd be without them (I might have never even started posting my stories online in the first place).

And finally, there's the whole, two chapters at once thing. The cliffhanger at the end of this chapter is the second reason why I decided to post Chapters 8 and 9 back-to-back. I didn't want to leave this story with another cop-out, because I figured I've kept you guys waiting for Zhong and Erdan's talk long enough. Especially guys like Animation Universe, and the anonymous user who's been following this story ever since I first posted it in January. You two are the ones who have been the most patient these past two months, and I thank you. When you're done reading this author's note, feel free to move onto chapter 9. But you know, I wouldn't mind if you'd also like to post a review about this one first.


	9. Chapter 9: Forgiveness

_**Chapter 9: Forgiveness.**_

Erdan paced tiredly around his room, deep in thought. Up until 15 minutes ago, he had been fast asleep, dreaming away his problems. But then he heard the sound a wolf howling, and had been up ever since. He was about to try meditation as a way of inducing sleep, when there was knock on his bedroom door. When the knock repeated itself three more times, Erdan realized that someone was trying to get his attention. Erdan turned, and saw a shadow cast on the other side of the door, someone obviously wanted to see him. "Who is it?", the wolf cub asked hesitantly.

It took the mystery visitor a while to reply, and Erdan guessed that he was just as nervous as he was about their little talk, but the stranger finally spoke up. "It's me, Zhong. I'd like to have a word with you", the voice on the other side replied nervously.

Erdan froze as he recognized the voice. His muscles stiffened, and a lump appeared in the back of his throat. All the emotions he had been trying to forget about came flooding back to him all at once. Anger, sadness, betrayal, regret. For a moment, he contemplated telling Zhong to go away, but then he remembered that he _wanted_ a chance to talk to his old roommate. It was what he had been craving ever since he first woke up, and here was a golden opportunity being served to him a silver platter. He couldn't possibly be stupid enough to pass it up, not when he wanted to know the truth so badly. Finally, Erdan forced the lump to move further down his throat, and spoke up. "Come in", Erdan replied softly.

As the door slid open, Erdan walked over to his bed, and sat on the other side, so that his back would be facing the door. Erdan knew that if looked Zhong in the eye, he'd either get mad again or break down crying, and neither option was very appealing. So the boy knew the only way he'd ever be able to talk to Zhong again was if he wasn't looking at him.

Though Erdan couldn't see Zhong, he could still hear him, and eventually heard the wolf pad softly into the room. Erdan felt his bed-frame groan and creak under stress, as Zhong took his seat on the other side of the bed. The small bed was hardly designed to hold up the weight of two wolves, who, combined, weighed almost as much as Po. After an awkward silence fell over the room for a few seconds, Erdan decided he would be the one to make the first move. "What do you want to talk about?", Erdan asked, without turning around.

"I came to ask you something. Where have you been for the past six months?", Zhong replied.

Erdan scoffed incredulously. "I could ask the same of you", Erdan replied angrily.

"I'm just worried about you. Mantis said he didn't know how you could walk all the way here, alone and on foot, and he's right", Zhong replied, worried.

Though he still refused to turn around and face his friend, Erdan studied the wolf's tone. Zhong seemed to be genuinely concerned about him, which was completely unexpected. Finally, Erdan decided that if he was ever going to get some answers from Zhong, he would have to provide a few of his own first.

"I left Gongmen City a day after I received your letter, I didn't want to stay in that cabin any longer than I had to", Erdan replied. When the wolf cub was explaining himself, his tone didn't show any signs of anger. Instead, he sounded sad, very sad, like he was remembering the darkest day of his life. And in truth, those first few days after Zhong's 'death' were some of his worst memories.

"I made it as far as the next village before I ran out of money. I spent at least three weeks there, living on the streets, before I finally found someone who would hire me. It's not easy finding a job when you're like me, everyone's always afraid you'll eat their customers", Erdan explained ruefully.

"I worked for a rabbit named Shang for a few months before I made enough money to continue on my travels. He was so sad to see me go, like he was afraid it would be the last he'd ever see me. And there was a good chance it probably would be", Erdan mused.

"After I left the village, I rented a boat and traveled downriver until I reached the mountains. And I spent at least a month there before I climbed down to the next village", Erdan continued, as he remembered those three weeks he had spent roaming China's mountainsides. In Erdan's mind, there was only one good thing about being a wolf, and that was his thick fur coat. Everything else, including his sharp teeth and claws, was like a curse.

Zhong listened intently to Erdan's whole story. Though Erdan couldn't see it because the wolf cub was facing away from him, Zhong was visibly horrified by the vivid images of Erdan's memories. He knew his kind were hardy animals, but he couldn't imagine a 13 year old boy going through all that and surviving. And the worst part of it all, all of Erdan's struggles were entirely his fault.

"By then, I had run out of money again and had to take another temporary job in a place called Kong Wolf City. There were so many of my kind there. Pretty much all the wolves in China had taken refuge there because they didn't belong in any other village after Shen's defeat. And for the first time, I actually felt like I belonged somewhere. I thought about staying there for a while, but I eventually kept going because I wanted to respect your final wishes. I wanted to give the Dragon Warrior your note before I settled down anywhere. It was the only way I could put my memories of you to rest", Erdan explained.

Even though he still felt greatly betrayed by Zhong, Erdan was surprisingly glad that his one-eyed friend was here to hear about his travels. As he was relieving all those old memories, it felt strangely good to finally be able to tell someone about them, to get all that pain, and misery, and loneliness off his chest.

"By the time I made it here, I had been traveling for six months. I was buying apples in the farmer's market when I heard the village was under attack from croc bandits. I decided to go help the villagers, and you know the rest after that", Erdan finished, before taking a deep breath and frowning. "It's your turn. Where have _you_ been for the past six months? All the villagers tell me that you're Shifu's seventh student. Is that true?", Erdan asked, his voice extremely doubtful.

"Yes", Zhong replied.

"How is that even possible?", Erdan asked skeptically.

"It's a long story", Zhong explained, his voice more of a warning than an explanation.

"I've been waiting six months to get here, I've got plenty of time", Erdan replied, frowning.

"Alright then. It started on the night I told you good-bye", Zhong began, while Erdan listened carefully.

Zhong started by explaining his reasons for saying good-bye, and how Shen fell at Gongmen Bay. From there, he went on to tell how Shen's soothsayer brought him back from the dead, and talked him into seeking redemption. During this section of the story, a few tears dripped down Erdan's cheek, and he made extra sure that Zhong never saw his face. It appeared that everyone had been telling the truth, Zhong really had been dead for a short period of time. And Erdan really had almost lost his best friend.

While Erdan pulled himself together, Zhong continued on to how he traveled to the Valley of Peace to find Po. While the long journey to the Sacred Valley had taken Erdan six months, it had only taken Zhong a few weeks. Erdan was surprised when he learned about how easily Po had forgiven him, and how Zhong had taken up residence in the Jade Palace. From what little he knew of the panda, Erdan knew Po was trusting and forgiving, but he never thought anyone would take such a big risk as to let a wolf live in their home.

Zhong then explained the hostility Tigress initially had towards him and his first encounter with the boar gang. Not long after that, he had his first heart-to-heart with Shifu and then Po, which led to Tigress finally giving him the benefit of the doubt. Zhong then explained how he took down his emotional barriers and learned to forgive his father, before he finally helped Po defeat the boar bandits once and for all. A few weeks after, Zhong made the life-changing decision to stay in the Valley with Po and his friends, and keep on training.

Through he tried not to show it, Erdan was fascinated by of all this. Zhong's story was like something you'd read in a book, or hear in a campfire tale, but never something you'd picture yourself going through in real life. The Zhong that was sitting next to him now was almost a completely different person than Yu, the wolf he had met back in Gongmen City, and Erdan finally understood why.

Zhong then moved onto the next crucial date in his new life, the day he met Shu. He told Erdan about how Po had talked him into meeting Shu again, and confessing the secrets of his past to her. This part of the story interested Erdan the most. He already knew about Zhong's relationship with Shu, from the she-wolf herself, but it was interesting to hear about it from Zhong's point of view. While Shu saw herself and Zhong as equal partners, Zhong thought he would never be good enough for her. It seemed he really did feel guilty about his actions, which also took Erdan by surprise. Perhaps what Shifu said before was true, maybe Zhong did have a conscience.

While Erdan pondered Zhong's moral compass, the one-eyed wolf continued his story, moving on to the Winter Feast, and the first Christmas he spent at the Jade Palace. Finally, he finished the recap by telling Erdan about the events of Valentines Day, and how he found him in the village. "After you fainted, I brought you back to the palace. And that's how we got here", Zhong finished.

Even though Zhong was finished, Erdan still didn't speak for a while, silently debating to himself about what he would ask next. Finally, the most obvious question popped into his head. "When you found me yesterday, you never answered my first question. If you've been alive this whole time, living in the Valley, why didn't you look for me? How come you never tried to find me?", Erdan asked bitterly.

Zhong gulped. This was the moment of truth. Whether of not Erdan forgave him depended entirely on whether or not the boy understood the reasons behind his actions. And even if Erdan didn't forgive him, he knew the boy deserved to know everything, no matter how painful the memories were. "I couldn't at first. I spent the first three days after my revival building my strength back up. When the soothsayer said I was finally well enough to leave, the first place I went was the cabin, looking for you", Zhong began.

**((()-()))**

_Six Months Earlier…_

"_**The Source**_" by Murray Gold begins.

On the outskirts of Gongmen City, the door to one small cabin suddenly flew open. The hut had been empty for three days now, and just as it was beginning to gather dust inside, when it's original occupant finally returned.

Zhong ran inside as quickly as he could, but winced as his recent shoulder injury flared up again. Despite the pain in both his chest and his shoulder, Zhong continued to limp inside, desperately searching for his younger roommate. "Erdan! Erdan! Are you here?", Zhong shouted, deeply concerned.

However, the hut was completely abandoned. There were no signs of movements, no noise besides the sound of Zhong's echo, and all the doors were unlocked. Zhong always warned Erdan to lock the doors at night, so that immediately alerted him that something was wrong - terribly wrong.

Finally, Zhong walked into Erdan's bedroom, and found it was completely empty, just like the rest of the house. All of Erdan's things were gone, the mat he slept on, the kung fu staff he used when he trained, and the blanket he wrapped around him for warmth at night.

Zhong fell to his knees, as the truth washed over him. Erdan was gone, and he had been gone for days now. He must have already received Zhong's letter, and left the day after.

For a brief moment, Zhong thought about following him. The boy already had a massive head start, and could be anywhere in China by now, but he knew that if he wanted to, he could track Erdan's scent across the country.

But then, Zhong's heart sank. Even if by some miracle he was able to find Erdan, what then? He was still a criminal. He could never live a life of peace, not after everything he had done. He would probably spend the rest of his life running from the law, being ridiculed and ostracized from every village he came across. Shen's soothsayer may have saved him from certain death, but the rest of his mortal life would be hell on Earth, and he couldn't condemn Erdan to all that. It was best that the wolf cub believe he was dead, and find another, loving family. A family that he actually deserved.

Suddenly, Zhong's paw came in contact with something lying on the floor. It wasn't hard like the cabin's wooden floors, but felt soft and silky, like a thin piece of fabric. Zhong reached out, and wrapped his paw around a small piece of red wool. To Zhong's shock, he realized it was Erdan's bandana. The wolf cub must have been in such a hurry to leave that he left it behind while he was packing.

Zhong slowly folded up the bandana, and placed it in his pocket for safekeeping. He may never have been able to see Erdan again, but he could still keep something to remember him by. But even without the bandana, Zhong knew he would never forget Erdan. The boy had taught him how to feel love and compassion again, and not just that, Erdan had been the closest thing to a son he had had in thirty years. But as much Zhong would miss him, Erdan had his own destiny to fulfill, and he had his. And Zhong knew that if he wanted to get to Valley of Peace and find the Dragon Warrior, he would have to start walking now.

Zhong slowly stood up, and walked towards the front door. He took one last look at the empty cabin, and sighed. "_Goodbye Erdan_", he whispered, before closing the door and locking it. And that was the last time either wolf set foot in Yu's cabin, that day was indeed the end of an era.

**((()-()))**

Six months later, both wolves sat on the opposing ends of Erdan's bed, both listening intently to what the other had to say. "That's what I meant when I said I couldn't come back. It wasn't because I didn't care about you. I knew that if you stayed with me, you'd be ridiculed for being the son of a monster, and you didn't deserve that. I wasn't going to let you suffer for the mistakes I made", Zhong explained.

On the other side of the bed, Erdan turned around to face Zhong, finally willing to look his adoptive father in the eye. "That's the reason?", he choked, fighting back a few tears.

"Yes. But just because I didn't see you again, that doesn't mean that I forgot about you", Zhong added, before he reached into his shorts' pocket. He then extracted a familiar piece of red cloth.

When Erdan realized what it was, the wolf cub gasped. It was his old bandana. He hadn't seen it since he accidentally left it behind in Yu's cabin. But the only way Zhong would have found it was if he had went back there. Which meant that Zhong's story _was_ the truth. He had returned to the cabin and risked his own freedom just to see if Erdan was still alright. Erdan looked up at Zhong, tears in the boy's eyes.

"I've been keeping this hidden in my room for months now, ever since I first arrived in the Valley of the Peace", Zhong continued.

"Why would you keep it?", Erdan asked, confused.

"So that I would never forget you. You were the reason I tried so hard to find redemption. You were the first person to show me a brighter side of the world, and every time I look at this bandana, I think of you. People like you and Shu are the ones I look up to everyday, and I fight as hard as I do because I want to a better person, like you. But now that you're back, I think it's time this goes back to it's original owner", Zhong explained, before handing Erdan the fabric.

Erdan slowly reached out, and tied the cloth around his neck. Even after all that time they had spent apart, the red bandana still fit him perfectly. He glanced up at Zhong again, who now had a small smile on his face.

As Zhong saw the tears in Erdan's eyes, he knew the boy finally understood. "I really am sorry Erdan. And I know I don't deserve it, but I hope that someday you can forgive me", Zhong said, before standing up. "I'll see you in the morning", he said softly. Since there was nothing more Zhong could say or do, the one-eyed wolf turned around, and started walking back towards the door. But just as he slid it open, something stopped him - the sound of Erdan speaking again.

"It is the morning, and I've already forgiven you", Erdan announced.

Zhong turned back at glanced at Erdan again, the wolf's expression hopeful. Erdan was no longer sitting on his bed, but was instead standing upright, determined not to let Zhong leave until he spoke his own opinion. Behind him, the window was cracked open, and Zhong could see Erdan was right. The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to appear over the mountains, it was indeed morning now.

"You never came back because you didn't want me to suffer? You think I would cared about that?! Being laughed at by a few villagers would have been a walk in the park compared to thinking you were dead for six months!", Erdan shouted after him. However, the boy's voice wasn't angry like it had been before. Instead, he was shouting because he had wanted to get Zhong's attention. Furthermore, it seemed like Erdan was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and was fighting to say all he needed to say before he lost control of himself.

"You were more than just a friend Zhong, you were like a father to me! And I lost you! I lost you!", Erdan sobbed, before he suddenly ran forward, and threw himself at Zhong. Before the wolf could react, Erdan wrapped himself around Zhong's waist and started crying onto his vest.

To Erdan's surprise, Zhong reached out and wrapped his arms around the young wolf cub, pulling him even closer into their embrace. From the short time he had known Zhong Yu, Erdan had learned that Zhong wasn't much of an emotional guy, and their hugs had always been awkward for both of them. But now, Zhong seemed to be used to showing other people affection. Despite the hysteric state Erdan was currently in, a small part of the boy's brain registered Zhong's drastic change in personality. Erdan guessed that Po had picked up where he left off, and finished unlocking Zhong's sensitive side months ago.

After a few more minutes, Erdan gradually started to show signs of slowing down. By now, Zhong's vest was drenched in salt water, and the boy's tears were beginning to dampen his fur beneath the cloth, but he still didn't move an inch. A soggy chest and a little discomfort were a small price to pay if it meant Erdan could finally get to release all that sadness that had built up inside him.

"It's alright Erdan, just let it out. Let it all out", Zhong whispered, the same words Po had whispered to him the first time he opened up to the panda.

After three more minutes, Erdan finally calmed down enough to think rationally again. He was still crying heavily, but his ability to speak slowly returned. "Zhong, I'm sorry about all those things I said to you yesterday, I didn't know what I was saying. I was just being stupid, and petty, and-", Erdan rambled, stumbling over the worlds as they quickly poured out of his mouth.

"I know, and it's okay. I deserved it", Zhong insisted, his voice reassuring.

"No, you didn't, and you're not a bastard. At your worst, you're an idiot", Erdan joked lightly, hoping to break some of the tension.

Zhong smiled, relieved to see Erdan's sense of humor finally returning. "Yeah, I guess I am an idiot", he replied, far too happy to take the boy's words as an insult.

The wolf cub smiled, and wiped away a few tears. "Yeah, you are. But you're my idiot, and I guess I'm stuck with you until I'm 18", Erdan chuckled, before sniffling. It was the first time he had laughed in months. Now that they had forgiven each other (only a few seconds ago), talking to Zhong was so easy again. It was like nothing had changed since the last time they saw each other.

But unaware to the father and son duo, Po, Shu, Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane were watching them from the open door. Every animal had a warm smile on their face, as they watched the two old friends make up.

Suddenly, Po noticed that Master Shifu had joined them in the hallway, and had a smile on his face as well. "Wait, when did you?-", Po started to ask, before Shifu cut him off.

The old red panda raised his finger to Po's mouth, as a way of telling the panda to be quiet, and frowned. "Don't ruin the moment for them Po", Shifu whispered, before turning back to watch Zhong and Erdan again.

Po nodded his head, and smiled as he watched Zhong and Erdan hug one last time.

Outside the temple, the sun slowly started to rise over the horizon. A brand new day had come to the Valley. A brand new beginning. And so far, it was already off to a bright start.

_**Author's Note:**_

Well, what did you think? This chapter is shorter than the others (around the same length as Chapter 2), but what it lacks in length, it hopefully makes up for in emotional depth. And an emotional chapter like this needs equally as emotional music. Zhong and Erdan's talk is underscored by Murray Gold's "_**The Source**_", from "_**The Doctor's Daughter**_" (2008). This short, but beautiful suite of music plays at the end of the episode, when the Doctor loses his daughter, Jenny, the first child he's had in years. The soulful anthem speaks about the pain and grief that comes from losing someone you love, and I quickly found that it fits the father-son dynamic between Zhong and Erdan very well. All in all, I highly recommend that you read the second half of this chapter while listening to "_**The Source**_", because it'll help you better picture this chapter happening inside your mind.

One last thing, if you think Erdan forgiving Zhong is the end of this story, then you're wrong. Now that Zhong has accepted his responsibilities as a father, and Erdan has settled down in the valley, the wolf cub's story truly begins. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say that Erdan will start to embrace his inner wolf in the next few chapters. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this two-chapter experience, because it's probably the last time I'll ever do something like this. Honestly, I still don't know how I managed to pull this off this time, but it was completely worth it. Until next time, The Cool Kat.


	10. Chapter 10: Nature vs Nuture

_**Chapter 10: Nature vs. Nurture (Father and Son).**_

Several days later, the sun rose again over the Valley of Peace, and Erdan found himself repeating his daily routine. Erdan threw on his vest, and buttoned up it tiredly. Instead of wearing his usually ragged clothing, or the robe he had borrowed from Shifu, the boy now sported a brand new outfit. The day before, Po had stopped by the village and bought him a brand new shirt, a couple pairs of shorts, and a backpack, to replace the burlap sack he usually carried around with him. Erdan had been very grateful for the panda's generosity, but also a little annoyed that he hadn't been allowed to go to the village himself.

Under Master Shifu's orders, the wolf cub had been living in the Jade Palace for the past three days, building his strength back up from his travels. But he wasn't the only one adjusting to a new routine. Now that Erdan was back on speaking terms with Zhong, Shu had returned to her home in the village, but still stopped by to visit whenever she could (though they she always made sure reminded herself to ask for Shifu's permission).

Now that Erdan had stopped to think about it, Zhong having a girlfriend was even more surprising to him than it had been before. Zhong was his best friend, and Erdan respected him greatly, but he had always secretly suspected the one-eyed wolf was gay. He wasn't sure why he had thought Zhong was anything but straight. Maybe it was all the late night disappearances, or his weird nicknames for the Dragon Warrior, or the fact he used to still be single even though he was in his late forties, but Zhong had always came across to him as someone who wasn't exactly normal.

Eventually, Erdan realized that he was thinking too much about it. The boy had nothing against gays or lesbians. He had even had a few gay friends when he was kid growing up in his village, and he would have still accepted Zhong as a father either way. Still, Erdan's curiosity was a fickle thing, and he knew the only way he'd ever be able to put the thought to rest was if he asked Zhong about it later. Though he couldn't imagine how awkward that moment would be for both of them.

When Erdan wasn't spending time with Zhong, the orphan cub had spent the past three days training, meditating, and watching Po and his friends train. Though no outsider was allowed to know about the secret moves of Kung Fu, Erdan was still a guest at Jade Palace, and was permitted to watch the gang's basic training. Watching the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five perform such advanced martial arts fascinated Erdan. While archery was his main hobby, Erdan still liked to train in the art of kung fu, and someday hoped to be as good Po and the Furious Five. Maybe then, he could do some good in the world, and finally bring honor back to his people.

He had also gotten to know Po and his friends a lot better in the past three days. Once his anger at Zhong had been resolved, Erdan was fully capable of taking in the enormity of his situation. He was living in the Jade Palace, with the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. Not only did he get to meet his idols, but he had also gotten to spend the week with them.

Po was every bit as silly and comical as Erdan had pictured him to be during their first meeting, and the panda knew just how to make him laugh when he needed it. It still felt strange actually, Erdan hadn't laughed in so long that the using the basic reflex again was still taking some getting used to.

Tigress, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Po. Though Tigress was a bit of a downer sometimes, she was still a good friend nonetheless. Erdan even suspected that she and Po had feelings for each other, though they would never admit it.

Monkey was the practical jokester of the group, and Erdan constantly found himself having to watch his step just to avoid slipping on a banana peel the Langur might have planted somewhere. The boy's foster father however, wasn't so lucky (let's just say that Zhong's grudge against Monkey had returned again rather quickly, and Monkey was once again dreading sparring practice).

Despite her species' reputation as being cruel and ferocious, Erdan found that Viper was the complete opposite of that. The female master was both caring and compassionate. On the days he had trouble finding his inner peace, she had helped him with his meditation several times.

Erdan had also spent countless hours watching Crane train. The avian bird had a very unusual talent - being able to deflect arrows off of his wings, and lift impossible amounts of weights with his legs. Even after all that time he spent watching Crane train and studying how the bird moved, the long-legged animal was still a mystery to him. In a way, Erdan kind of envied him. He had always dreamed of flying, and Crane managed to live the wolf cub's dream everyday, just by flapping his wings.

Erdan also spent some time hanging out with the smallest of the Five. Mantis was both skeptical and sarcastic, not to mention obnoxious sometimes, but the insect's knowledge of acupuncture had helped to loosen some of the muscles Erdan had strained during his journey. Erdan owed a lot to Mantis, and the wolf cub was kind of curious about how acupuncture worked.

And finally, there was Master Shifu. Despite his outward apperance as being cold and unfeeling, the old panda was one of the nicest of them all. After everything Zhong and his pack had put Shifu's students through in Gongmen City, Erdan had expected the old master to hate all wolves, but Shifu seemed to hold no resentment against the boy for what he was. Instead, Shifu had regaled Erdan with tales about Master Oogway and some of China's other greatest masters. Stories and legends that had been passed down from generation to generation for over a thousand years.

It was all so fascinating, the kung fu, the stories, the meditation, the inner peace. It was all things you'd probably only hear about in legends, but Erdan was there, seeing it all for himself. And the preteen wished more than anything that he'd get to be one of them someday. But the wolf cub knew he still had a long way to go before he'd be a kung fu master. After all, he still had trouble meditating, let alone doing back-flips and 360 spins.

But even though life was practically perfect for him now, there was still one last thing bothering him Erdan - Zhong's letter. After his tearful reconcile with Zhong a few nights before, Po gave him the letter back so he could throw it away. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't force himself to part with something that had been so near and dear to his heart only a week ago. So instead, he just decided to keep it with the rest of his stuff in his backpack, and dispose of it later (if he could even force himself to do it then).

Erdan yawned, and slid open the door to his bedroom, to find Po walking by. As soon as he saw Erdan walk by, the panda stopped and smiled at the boy. "Good morning", he greeted.

"Good morning panda", Erdan replied sleepily.

Po's eyes widened slightly, and a small grin appeared on the panda's face. "Um, what did you just say?", he asked curiously, wanting to make sure he heard the boy's words right.

"Oh sorry. Good morning Po, or would you prefer Dragon Warrior?", Erdan asked, not wanting to be rude.

"No, no, panda's fine, people call me 'panda' all the time. 'Erdan' on the other hand, now that's a mouthful. Someone should really come with up with a nickname for you", Po replied.

Erdan raised his eyebrow, and leaned against the hallway wall. "Like what?", the boy asked.

"How about Dan, or Danny, or Danny boy?", Po suggested.

"Let's go with the second one", Erdan decided, his voice almost sarcastic.

Po's smile faded, and the panda frowned slightly. "Man, you're wound up tight to say you're only fourteen. You're almost as stiff as Tigress", Po noted, before he immediately bit his tongue. He had just seen the grumpy master in question enter the hallway.

Both the panda and the wolf cub remained silent as the female master walked by. "Good morning Po", she greeted.

"Uh, good morning Tigress", Po replied nervously.

"Good morning Master Tigress", Erdan greeted, before bowing in respect.

Tigress smiled, and bowed back, before she kept walking. As soon as she rounded the corner, Po sighed in relief. The panda turned back to Erdan, now that the danger was gone, he still had something he needed to say to the orphan.

"I know that you've had some hard times these past few months Erdan, but you're in the best years of your life right now. You're only a kid once, and I suggest you spend that time having a little fun before you grow up", Po advised.

Erdan thought about the panda's words for a moment, before speaking. "I haven't had any kind of fun since my parents died, I don't think I even know how anymore", Erdan said sadly.

"Well then, it's a good thing you met me. The Po-man will teach you how to cut loose, or I'm not the Dragon Warrior", Po promised, grinning again.

"Thanks Po", Erdan said, smiling, before he started walking again.

"So, what _do_ wolves do to past the time?", Po asked curiously, following behind the wolf cub.

"Well, back in my village, we had a very close community. The whole village used to get together once a month, and howl at the full moon", Erdan replied.

"Like a party or something?", Po asked.

"Not quite. It was more like a small gathering, where you got to spend time with all your friends and get to know your neighbors a little better. And at the end of night, we howled at the heavens, before we went our separate aways again", Erdan explained, before the wolf cub sighed sadly.

"It's been a long time since you've been back to your village, hasn't it?", Po asked curiously.

"My home is gone panda. It was lost along with my family", Erdan explained sadly.

"How did your parents die?", Po asked.

Erdan hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to let Po in on his most horrific memories, before eventually deciding against it. They were just too painful to relieve again. "It's not important. We'd better get downstairs, the others will be expecting you to cook breakfast", Erdan replied, deciding to change the subject.

"Okay then", Po agreeded, almost awkwardly. Though he was still curious about what Erdan was hiding, he had learned from his past experiences with Tigress and Zhong that it was best not to press the subject. Erdan would tell him more about his parents' deaths when he was ready.

Erdan nodded his head, and Po followed him out of the hallway. Though Erdan couldn't see it, the panda still had a curious expression on his face. Because the wolf cub had said something else that had caught the Dragon Warrior's attention. Po hadn't wanted to say it out loud, but when Erdan called him 'panda', he had sounded exactly like Zhong. Perhaps they really were a father and son after all.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, Po, Tigress, Zhong, Erdan, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, Viper, and Shifu were all sitting at the dining room table, enjoying some of Po's delicious breakfast.

Shifu glanced up from his cup of morning tea, and smiled a bit at Erdan. "How are you feeling this morning Erdan?", Shifu asked curiously.

Po, Zhong, and the Five all glanced at Erdan, curious about what the boy's reply would be. Erdan flinched slightly, he wasn't used to having so much attention and it was a bit disconcerting. Still, he ignored them, and answered the old master's question.

"I'm feeling a lot better Master Shifu. I think I'm finally strong enough to go outside. Do you think I could go to the village today?", Erdan asked anxiously. The wolf cub had been cooped up inside the Jade Palace for the past three days. Though he appreciated the fact that China's greatest kung fu masters were all concerned about his safety, he had also been feeling a bit stir crazy lately. Wolves liked to roam and run free in the wild, and they hated being trapped in a confined space for too long.

"Three days is more than enough time to build your strength back up, so I don't see why not. Besides, a little outside exercise might you do some good", Shifu replied.

"Thank you master", Erdan said excitedly, a wide smile on the boy's face.

On the other side of the table, Po's face lit up, as an idea popped inside the panda's head. "Hey, why stop there? How about we take Erdan on a picnic in the bamboo forest? That way he gets to see the village, and spend a day in nature", Po suggested.

Everyone, including Erdan, glanced at Shifu, curious about what the old panda's answer would be. Shifu thought about Po's suggestion for a moment, before replying. "I hate to admit it panda, but that's actually a good idea. What do you think Erdan?", Shifu asked.

Erdan paused for a moment, and thought about his panda friend's suggestion. A picnic in the bamboo forest. He had seen the bamboo forest when he had been walking to the Valley, and it was beautiful. The peaceful and serene atmosphere of the forest was what made it so appealing. It was the ideal place to go if you wanted to get away from the village for a day and have some fun with your friends. Besides, anything was better than being cooped up in the palace for another day. "I love it. I think it's a great idea too", Erdan replied eagerly.

"Excellent, Monkey, Viper, Tigress, you'll pack the food for the trip", Shifu decided.

"What? Why don't I get to pack?", Po whined.

"Because there actually needs to be some food left for the rest of us when we get to the forest, and we can't trust you not to eat it all before we get there", Monkey replied, before chuckling.

While Po grumbled angrily to himself, Erdan laughed along with Monkey, before taking another sip of tea. After taking a few more bites out of his breakfast, Erdan grinned at Zhong, and his foster dad smiled back.

It was funny how little things had changed between them. Erdan had expected it to take weeks, maybe even months before his friendship with Zhong went back to normal, but it had only taken a few days. In fact, it was even easier for them now than it had been before. There were no secrets, no lies, and Zhong was finally able to show real compassion, something he had had trouble doing before.

Even though Erdan had initially harbored resentment against Zhong, he was happy about how far the one-eyed had came in the past few months. He had finally found a home, some friends, and most importantly, redemption, which was what Zhong had been searching for for the past six months. For the first time ever, Erdan was proud of him, and he was proud to be his son.

After a while, Erdan finished his breakfast, and sat up from the table. Not wanting to be a burden, Erdan decided to lighten some of Po's load, and wash his dishes in the sink. Not long afterwards, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane all finished their breakfasts, and joined Erdan in washing the dishes. After they were all finished, they glanced back at the table, curious as to why Po, Zhong, and Shifu were all sitting in the same spot.

"We're gonna go pack for the picnic, aren't you coming Po?", Tigress asked, curious.

"In a minute Tigress, I need to speak to Zhong and Shifu in private", Po replied, a mischievous edge in the panda's voice.

Tigress raised her eyebrows, along with Erdan. The panda obviously had something up his sleeve, and as much as he wanted to know what it was, Erdan figured he should probably help the others pack.

Once Po was sure all his friends were out of earshot, he turned to grin at Shifu. "Okay Shifu, Zhong, that picnic idea I just told you is a distraction. A fun way to get Erdan out of the palace for a day so we can do what we need to do", Po explained.

"Which would be?", Shifu asked, raising his eyebrows skeptically.

"Erdan's been missing his home a lot lately. Now, I've got an idea about how to lift his spirits, but you've got to hear me out on this", Po explained.

Shifu folded his arms, and listened intently, as Po delved into his fiendish plan.

**((()-()))**

About thirty minutes later, Po and his friends pushed open the doors to the Hall of Warriors, and stepped onto the Jade Palace's lawn. "We'll be back by the end of the day master Shifu!", Po shouted over his shoulders.

"Make sure you're back by sunset", Shifu requested.

"We will!", Po replied, his voice reassuring.

Shifu rolled his eyes, already doubtful of the panda's words, before closing the door after his students.

Po looked in front of him to see Tigress carrying the Five's picnic basket, stocked with goodies and all kinds of delicious food. It was so tempting to just walk up and sneak some food out of the basket. However, Po knew that even attempting to steal some food while Tigress was guarding it was suicide. But as he continued to breathe in the basket's enticing aroma, Po's hunger started to outweigh his instinct of self-preservation.

Po figured if he could move fast enough, and quiet enough, Tigress would never notice. After all, people always said Po was light on his feet for someone his size, so the panda figured it would be a snap. As he slowed inched forward, walking on the end of his toes, Po tried to ignore his fears and keep his eyes on the picnic. Tigress hadn't turned around once, or even spoke, so Po guessed his plan was working.

Once he was only a few feet away, Po leaned forward, his paw reaching out towards the picnic basket, when Tigress suddenly spoke up. "Po, if you so much as even look at this basket, I'll snap you in two", Tigress growled softly.

Po immediately stepped back, and ran to the very back of the group, determined to get as far away from Tigress as possible. "Mean", he whispered angrily.

Tigress rolled her eyes, and tried to ignore the panda.

A few feet away, Erdan squinted his eyes, as the morning sun reflected off his pupils. It had been so long since he had last left the palace that he had almost forgot what being outside felt like. The wet morning dew felt good beneath his paws, and the cold mountain air was both tasty and refreshing as he breathed it in through his dry mouth. Erdan could see now why so many people had went to the Jade Palace to train. The mountains were so peaceful and relaxing, it was the perfect place to practice meditation and find your inner peace.

However, there was one thing that was annoying Erdan. Every few minutes, he found himself walking ahead of Po and the Furious Five. It wasn't deliberate, it was more like a subconscious thing, a personal habit that he just couldn't control. To Erdan, Po and his friends walked so slow. He knew they were all mostly leaf-eating herbivores that walked everywhere they needed to go, and he respected the differences between them, but unfortunately, he wasn't used to walking at snail's pace like they were. Wolves were used to running everywhere they went, and having to slow down his pace just so his friends could keep up was starting to get very annoying.

After being cooped up inside the palace all week, every part of Erdan was itching for him to just run ahead and overtake his friends before they reached the stairs. Still, he didn't want to be rude, especially to the people who had taken him in, so he controlled his wolfish instincts.

Behind Erdan, Zhong noticed the wolf cub having to readjust his pace every few minutes, and decided to speak to him about it. "Frustrating, isn't it?", Zhong asked.

"What is?", Erdan asked, confused.

"Having to slow down just so the others can keep up. I had the same problem when I first came to the Valley", Zhong said sympathetically.

"You did?", Erdan asked, surprised.

"Yep. Everyone here is just so slow. I know they can't help it, that's just the way they were built. But trying to get Po to run can really get on my nerves sometimes", Zhong explained.

"Hey!", Po shouted from behind them, easily overhearing the two wolves' conversation.

Erdan ignored the panda, and turned to Zhong, yearning for the older wolf's advice. "Well, how did you beat it, this craving to run all the time? It's all I can think about", Erdan asked.

"During my first few trips into the Valley, I always had to be careful and restrained, to keep myself from hurting any villagers. For the longest time, the urge to run was unbearable. But now every two weeks, I like to head outside the village and spend a few hours in the jungle, where I can run to my heart's content. Sometimes I even take Shu with me. I find that it's easier to control myself if I get it all out my system once every few weeks", Zhong explained.

Erdan took in Zhong's words, and nodded, but Zhong could tell his adoptive son was still struggling. Suddenly, an idea popped into Zhong's head, and a mischievous grin stretched across the wolf's face. "You know, we're outside right now. There aren't villagers around that might get hurt, just a few shrubs and bushes", Zhong noted.

"_**Bella's Lullaby**_" by Carter Burwell begins.

It took Erdan a moment, but he eventually caught on to what Zhong was saying. The boy raised his eyebrow curiously.

"Shifu said that getting some exercise might do you some good, and I think a good run counts as exercise", Zhong suggested.

"Are you sure the others won't mind?", Erdan asked worriedly.

"Nah, we don't have to worry about leaving them behind. These guys could run circles around me if they wanted to", Zhong replied, while waving his paw dismissively. "Well, maybe not the panda", Zhong added jokingly.

"Hey!", Po shouted indignantly, for the second time.

"All right then, I guess I'll see you at the top of the stairs", Erdan decided, before the wolf cub abruptly ran forward, and bolted through the Jade Palace's lawn. As he jogged briskfully on all four paws, Erdan easily overtook the slower, more relaxed Furious Five, and left the hefty Dragon Warrior behind in his dust.

"Seriously guys, more running?", Po groaned.

However, Erdan hadn't heard any of the Dragon Warriors' complaints, he was too busy enjoying himself. Running felt incredible, every bit as exciting and exhilarating as he had remembered it was. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, flowing side-by-side with his red-hot blood, urging him to go as fast as his fourteen year-old legs could take him.

Erdan had been denying his heritage for so long, it felt good to finally embrace it. For the first time in over a year, Erdan felt like a wolf again. Not the ruthless, bloody-thirsty killing machine that everyone thought wolves were, but the majestic predator that roamed the woods of China by night, protecting it's pack and helping the innocent whenever it's help was required.

Pretty soon, Erdan could see the stairs that led to the village, and he knew the race was already half-way over. However, Erdan wasn't the only one who could run on all fours. As soon as their little race had started, Zhong had let Erdan get a head-start. But now that he was firing on all four cylinders, Zhong easily caught up with his younger, less experienced opponent.

Still, Erdan was determined not to let Zhong beat him, and simply pushed himself harder. Eventually, Zhong and Erdan reached the very edge of the stairs, and were forced to put on the brakes. Both wolves stood up, and grinned at each other.

"So who won?", Erdan asked.

"I guess it was a tie", Zhong said, shrugging.

Erdan panted heavily, it had been a while since the last time he ran. Subconsciously, the boy realized that that short little jog shouldn't have taken as much out of him as it did. He must be getting out of shape from his lack of exercise lately.

As he was catching his breath, Erdan looked down and gasped, as he took in the majestic sight below him. He had been inside so much lately that he had almost forgotten the Jade Palace was located on top of a mountain.

From where he and Zhong were currently standing, they could see the entire Valley of Peace. All the people and villages, all the fields and forests, all the cliffs and mountains. When he was walking in the village, Erdan hadn't noticed the full scope of the Valley, the beauty of it all. But now that he could see it all at once, it was breathtaking.

Erdan took a step back, and Zhong glanced at what the wolf cub was staring at, before laughing a bit. "It's beautiful, isn't it?", he asked warmly.

"I've never seen anything like it", Erdan replied breathlessly. The wolf cub's eyes rolled across the valley, taking in all the different sights and sounds. He could see life, growing up all around him. Generations of colonists had called this valley their home, and now he was a part of it. Except Erdan was different from all the other villagers, and not just because he was a wolf. Erdan was different because he had a much different purpose in life than they did. While they had a responsibility to their families, he had a responsibility to the world.

"The villagers, there's so many of them. Is this what you saw when you first came to the valley?", Erdan asked.

"No, not at first, I was too much of a fool then to see the beauty of this Valley. All the people and their children, living happy and healthy lives in peace", Zhong said regretfully.

For the first time in over a minute, Erdan tore his eyes away from the Valley and glanced at Zhong, intrigued by the older wolf's words.

"I thought that because I was bigger and stronger than them that I was a part of the dominant species. Me and my pack thought that we deserved to conquer the world, and that the villagers were only put here to serve us. But we were wrong", Zhong continued, his tone switching from regretful to rueful.

"Well, what do you think of them now?", Erdan asked curiously.

"I think that just because we're bigger than the villagers, doesn't mean that their whole purpose in life is to serve us. It's because we're bigger then them that it's our job to protect them. Because if we wolves won't help those who can't help themselves, then who will?", Zhong explained.

Erdan's red eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected Zhong's words to be so wise or so heartfelt. The Zhong he had met back in Gongmen City was a soldier, a fugitive dedicated to a life of conquest and killing. But the Zhong who stood before him now was a much different man, a better man than he had been before. It seemed that some of Master Shifu's wisdom had rubbed off on him after all.

"That's pretty deep for a guy who wanted to take over the world only last year. Where did this change of heart come from?", Erdan asked curiously.

"I wasn't always a soldier Erdan. I used to be a guard at the Gongmen Palace, working for Shen and his parents. It was my job to protect the people of Gongmen City, but after my family's death, I turned my back on them. I stopped caring about everyone and everything, until I met you", Zhong explained, a small smile beginning to appear on the edge of his lips.

This part of Zhong's story was very familiar to Erdan. He had heard it before at least twice now, and had even seen it unfold before his very eyes, but he still didn't quite understand it. "You keep saying that I changed you, but how? I was just some kid you picked up off the streets. It's not like I'm some great sensei like Master Oogway, or the Dragon Warrior like Po. I'm just a kid", Erdan asked.

"You may have been just a kid, but you were one of the kindest kids I'd ever met. Me and my pack had stealing and killing for over thirty years, so long that we thought that was all our kind ever did was kill. But you, you had no interest in killing. You lost your entire pack, but it didn't change who you were like it did me. Even after all the world had did to you, you still wanted to help people. You wanted to learn kung fu, not so you could conquer like Shen did, but so you could make the world a better place. You had the same dream I had when I was your age, and the same dream my son used to have", Zhong explained, a small tear former under his good eye.

Erdan thought about Zhong's words for a minute, before he walked forward, and hugged Zhong around the waist, the only part of the older wolf's body he could actually reach. It wasn't a tense hug, or a tearful one, like it usually was between them. Instead, this one was soft and comforting, like the one Zhong had given him the other night.

Once Erdan's paws made contact with his stomach, Zhong was distracted from his saddened thoughts, and glanced down at the wolf cub. As soon as he realized what Erdan was doing, Zhong chuckled, and raised his eyebrows a little. "What's this for?", he asked.

Erdan pulled away from Zhong, and smiled. "You seemed like you needed it. You were there for me when I needed comforting, and now I'll be here for you whenever you need me", Erdan explained.

Zhong smiled. "Well, that's awfully nice of you", he noted.

Erdan shrugged. "Hey, what are sons for?", the wolf cub replied, before beginning his long trek down the Jade Palace stairs.

Zhong's eyes widened, as he took in the full extent of Erdan's words. Erdan had tearfully admitted he saw Zhong as his father earlier that week, but that was the first time he ever acknowledged himself as Zhong's son. The wolf chuckled again, and followed Erdan down the stairs.

As they were walking, Erdan remembered something he had wanted to ask Zhong earlier that morning. Something very awkward, and possibly embarrassing. Still, he knew he would go crazy if he didn't ask him soon, so it was best that he just say it right away and get it over with as quickly as he could. "Speaking of hugs, from what you told me a few days ago, you and Po have hugged a lot?", Erdan asked.

Zhong shrugged in reply. "A few times", the wolf said nonchalantly.

"Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for being in touch with your sensitive side, but most of the guys I know usually aren't that open about their feelings. Do you and him have some kind of _thing_ going on? A romantic thing?", Erdan asked curiously.

Zhong stopped right in his tracks, and the gray wolf's cheeks turned bright red, as he immediately realized what Erdan was asking him. "No! No! Me and him are nothing but friends, and we're barely even that", Zhong said quickly, a bit too quickly in Erdan's opinion.

"Oh, well that's a relief. But then again, it would have been kinda cool to have the Dragon Warrior as a second father", Erdan said jokingly. In the back of his mind, he pictured Zhong and Po having a bear hug, and instead of it being really disturbing and creepy, it was kinda funny-looking, for reasons the cub couldn't explain.

"Why would you even think I was… that. You know I love Shu", Zhong asked, though he had tried to make his voice sound curious, Erdan could still tell Zhong was embarrassed by his question.

"Well, you say Shu's your girlfriend, but I've never actually seen the two of you kiss, so of course I was gonna get curious", Erdan replied defensively, though there was still a teasing edge to his voice.

"Look, even if I was…gay, I could still do a lot better than Po", Zhong said. After struggling to find the right words for the past minute or so, the wolf's voice was finally starting lightening up. After a bit of thought, Zhong had realized Erdan meant no harm with his words. The one-eyed wolf knew the boy was far too open-minded for his jokes to ever be deliberately malicious, and had been sincerely curious about the answer to his question.

"Hey! I heard that!", someone shouted from above them.

Zhong and Erdan looked up, to see Po and the Furious Five had finally reached the top of the stairs, after what seemed like ten minutes.

"And you're no prize yourself either. Not to mention, you'd be way too old for me!", Po added, though just like Erdan, he had meant it in a teasing kind of way.

Zhong and Erdan laughed at the panda's joke, and decided it was best to slow their pace a little, so the others could keep up. Maybe Erdan's first day away from the palace wouldn't be so bad after all.

Po groaned, as he looked at the long flight of stairs below him. "Seriously guys? First you leave us all behind, and now we've gotta catch up with you while walking down all these stairs?", Po complained.

"Just be glad we're walking down them Po. The trek back up will be even harder this evening", Tigress replied, as she walked past the bear.

Po's stomach rumbled, as he breathed in the delicious smells that came from Tigress' picnic basket. No matter how hard it was, Po had to find a way to get that basket. But unfortunately, he had bigger problems to worry about at the moment, like making it all the way down to the village.

Po sighed, and followed his friends as they started their thousand-stair journey. Still, a little exercise and a lot of hunger was worth it, if his plan to cheer up Erdan worked. He knew Shifu was already putting his little idea in motion, and all he to do was stall Erdan long enough for the red panda to finish.

"Hey guys, wait for me!", Po shouted, as he bounded down the stairs. He eventually caught up with Tigress, and grinned at the female master. "I don't suppose you've changed your mind about me having a little light snack, have you?", Po asked hopefully.

"No", Tigress replied coldly, not even bothering to turn around.

"I didn't think so", Po admitted, before sighing again.

_**Author's Note:**_

The subtitle of this chapter comes from "_**Father and Son**_", an orchestral piece from the "_**Tron: Legacy**_" soundtrack. I'd like to thank Scruff the Rat for pointing it out to me, it really helped me to picture Zhong and Erdan's father-son relationship in my head. Since I didn't use it in this story, it only felt right to name chapter 10 after this helpful, and sorrowful piece of music.

After nine chapters of heartfelt speeches, action-packed chases, and tear-jerking reunions, it felt good to write another lighter, more humorous chapter. But underneath all the jokes and Yogi Bear-picnic basket references, there is an important purpose to this chapter. Back in chapter 9, Zhong and Erdan finally started to see eye-to-eye, and chapter 10 expands their new father-son relationship. For the first time since they met six months ago, Zhong and Erdan actually agree on something. They both think that their martial arts talents should be used to help the people of China, a revelation Zhong only made a few months ago, but one Erdan has been aspiring to his entire life. And now that they both have something in common, the two are closer than ever before (Erdan even sees himself as Zhong's son now).

This chapter is also the first time Erdan has felt like kid again in this entire story. Ever since his parents died and he lost Zhong, Erdan has been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But now that Zhong is back in his life again to guide him, some of that weight has been lifted, and he can afford to act his age again. And he isn't the only one who's becoming a little more laidback. Zhong is also a lot more light-hearted in this chapter than he has been in a while (since chapter 3 at least). Raising Erdan is not only bringing back all those old paternal instincts he had long forgotten, but is also starting bring out his inner child, allowing us to see a whole new side of Wolf Boss.

And as for the paragraph where Erdan ponders about Zhong's sexuality, my apologies Wolf Boss fans, I simply had to put that piece in. Every time you write a story, there are always a few jokes and one-liners that you know you'll hate yourself later if you don't put them in the final draft, and that was one of them.

But Erdan's thoughts do raise a good question, _is_ Wolf Boss gay? Maybe, maybe not. While the thought is highly unlikely, the fact that he always refer to Po as being soft, plushy, cute and cuddly is bound to raise a few eyebrows (honestly, I don't know why anyone hasn't written any gay Wolf Boss stories yet, I'd love to read them). But for "_**Erdan 2**_", Zhong will remain a straight character, so if anyone was worrying about that, you can relax now. After all, this story is hard enough for me to write already, the last thing I need is for Zhong to break up with Shu and start making out with guys (I know most of you are probably creeped out by that mental image, but I also know that at least a small percentage of you are a little turned on by it, and trust me, you're not alone).

And just to make sure no one jumps to any other conclusions, I want to set another record straight before any of you review. Zhong may not be gay, but he's also not a homophobe. Zhong's reaction to Erdan's question was actually pretty normal in my opinion. I find that if you ask someone about whether or not they're gay, they'll either get mad at you, hit you in the face, or stutter out an reply, and luckily, Zhong's reaction was the third one. But anyway, if I ever do write a PoxWolf Boss story, it would probably be my third or fourth KFP fic, since I still have "_**Salvation, Part 3**_", and "_**Lazarus**_" to write first. Until then, I'll settle for a few gay jokes and not-so-subtle innuendos every now and then.

In the next chapter, Erdan spends the day with Po, Zhong, and the Furious Five, touring the village and having some fun in the bamboo forest. He also makes a new friend in the Valley, someone a little closer to his own age. Plus, there's still that special 'surprise' Po has planned for Erdan that Shifu is apparently in on. Until next time, the Cool Kat.

P.S. "_**The Doctor's Daughter**_" is airing Tuesday, April 17, at 4:00/3:00 central, on BBC America. So if any of you are curious about where my musical inspiration for chapter 9 came from, all you have to do is set your DVR. But I feel I must warn you, unless you're a fan of sci-fi, you probably won't like it.


	11. Chapter 11: Partners in Crime

_**Author's Note:**_

I know I said I'd never post two chapters at once again, but to be fair, this did start out as just one chapter, but it was so long that I had to split it in two. Anyway, before we begin, I'd like to thank YelloVulp for reviewing the last time I posted. It's always nice to know someone is reading this story, and I'm delighted that it inspired you to draw your own Kung Fu Panda fan-art (you're a whole lot better at it than me, my drawings always come out as nothing but scribbles). Furthermore, your drawing of Zhong, Erdan, and Shu was spot on, almost as if the characters came right out of the story and into real life. You're a talented drawer YelloVulp, and feel free to let me know if you ever draw any more KFP fan-art.

_**Chapter 11: Partners in Crime (Look Through Me Eyes).**_

About fifteen minutes later, Po breathed a sigh of relief, as he and his friends reached the bottom of the Jade Palace stairs.

Being one of the first ones to reach the bottom, Erdan stared at the village huts, and the villagers passing by. To Erdan's relief, the village look more or less the same as it had when he first arrived. A few huts had either been repaired or rebuilt after being destroyed during the croc's raid, and there were fewer villagers walking on the streets today, but the valley was still happy and safe nonetheless.

One pig lady walked by, and smiled at the Jade Palace residents. "Good morning Dragon Warrior", she greeted.

"Good morning Mrs. Houi-Kai", Po replied, grinning.

"Po, I already told you there's no need to be so formal, you and your friends can call me Li", Mrs. Kai said.

Po nodded, and the female pig turned to the panda's five friends. "Good morning Masters Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane", Li added.

The Furious Five all returned the pig lady's greeting, while Erdan tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Good morning Master Zhong", Li greeted.

"Good morning Li", Zhong replied, before extending his rather large paw towards her.

To Erdan's shock, he saw Li place her right hoof inside Zhong's paw, and let the wolf's fingers close around it. For moment, Erdan's most vital organ threatened to burst out of his chest, as heart raced in fear. He imagined Zhong crushing the pig's hand, and shattering every single one of her fingers. All it would take was a little bit of pressure on the fragile female, and her hoof would be out of commission for weeks. But to Erdan's surprise, Li removed her hand once the handshake was over, still showing no signs of pain or fear. Apparently, Zhong's earlier words were true, in six months the gray wolf had managed to build up an enormous amount of self control.

Once she was done speaking to Zhong, Li glanced at Erdan, and smiled. "And who is this young lad?", the pig lady asked.

"I'm Erdan, a newcomer to the Valley", Erdan explained, before extending his own (much smaller), paw for Li to shake.

"Are you and Zhong related?", Li asked curiously, quickly noticing the resemblance in the two wolves' eye colors.

"Uhh…", Erdan stuttered, not quite knowing how to answer the pig lady's question.

Finally, Zhong decided to step in and save Erdan from any further embarrassment. "You could say that", Zhong said curtly.

Li raised her eyebrows curiously. Zhong's neutral answer had neither confirmed or denied her suspicions, and she further suspected that that had been his intentions all along. Eventually, she decided that Zhong's family ties were none of her business. After all, even wolves deserved a little privacy. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you all later then", Li said, before walking off.

Once she was gone, both Zhong and Erdan breathed a collective sigh of relief. Erdan glanced back at Zhong, the wolf cub's ears raised curiously. "That woman, why was she so comfortable around you?", Erdan asked confusedly.

Zhong shrugged in reply, not really knowing the answer himself. "I'm still not sure about that myself. The villagers have all been open and friendly ever since I helped Po vanquish the boar gang", Zhong said.

"You helped save me and the entire valley. They're okay with you because you're a hero!", Po shouted from behind them, having suddenly decided to join in the conversation.

"I'm not a hero panda, I'm just a guy who didn't want to see his friends get slaughtered", Zhong replied.

"Whatever you say, _hero_", Po said teasingly, causing Zhong to roll his eyes and turn back towards Erdan again. Eventually, Po's teasing tone became a bit more serious, and he walked up to Erdan's side. "But things weren't always this easy. It took most of the villagers weeks before they finally got used Zhong. One guy actually fainted when he saw him", Po explained.

"He was that afraid?", Erdan asked, his voice half-curious and half-skeptical. Erdan knew he and his kind were scary and intimidating animals, but he had never caused anyone to faint before him.

"He had a good reason to. I…I threw him off a cliff once", Zhong explained hesitantly. The gray wolf had decided it was best for him to answer Erdan's question before Po could, the panda would no doubt have tried to make a joke out of it.

Erdan's eyes widened slightly, as he realized the enormity of Zhong's words. "You threw a guy off a cliff?", Erdan asked incredulously. The young cub didn't know why he was so shocked, throwing a person off a cliff was hardly beneath someone who had been plundering for three decades.

"It was a long time ago, back when I wasn't thinking clearly", Zhong explained, the gray wolf's voice almost nervous. He never liked discussing his past with anyone, in fear of being rejected for his past sins. And right now, he was worried that Erdan would either be disgusted or horrified by his father's heinous memories.

However, Erdan said nothing, choosing to think about Zhong's words in silence, while Po spoke up again. "It was only six months ago. And I should know, I was there and kicking your dad's butt at the time", Po joked, though Erdan hardly paid any attention to the panda.

Growing tired of Po's constant interruptions, Zhong turned to growl at the Dragon Warrior. "I seem to remember that I won that fight, _panda_", Zhong sneered.

"Only because you got lucky", Po replied.

While the wolf and panda were busy arguing, the Furious Five walked to the head of the group (rolling their eyes at their teammates' childish antics), while Erdan just tuned out his friends' bickering.

Eventually, Erdan glanced up at Po, and then gazed at Zhong. The gray wolf still had an anxious look on his face, and Erdan could tell that whatever his next words would be, they would have a really big impact on him. He would have to be as kind and considerate as he could, he didn't want to hurt his dad again like he had the other day. "Well, so long as the guy is okay, I guess the past is in the past", Erdan decided, breathing a sigh of relief along with his father.

"Try telling that to Leif, the poor guy was so shaken up by what happened that he held a grudge against Zhong for months", Po said.

"Well, what finally happened to changed his mind?", Erdan asked, curious again.

"I helped him save his family from some thieves, and I guess he decided I was trustworthy. He doesn't hate me anymore, but we're still not exactly friends either", Zhong replied.

"But the valley more or less accepts wolves now?", Erdan asked.

"So long as they don't come to stir up trouble, they're perfectly welcome in the village, just like any other species. You've seen how accepting the villagers are of Shu and me", Zhong replied, the wolf's voice was slightly happier now that they were safely off the subject of his past.

"That's so cool", Erdan said, a wide grin on the wolf's cub face. Maybe there was hope for his kind after all. Maybe, with Zhong and Shu paving the way, the Asian wolves of China could someday return to their old lifestyle of peace and harmony.

The boy's thoughts went back to his first day in the Valley, those first bittersweet hours he had spent roaming the village alone. He thought about all the interesting people he had met, and all the villagers he had befriended, including Fang Hao's father and the kind old goat lady who had sold him the apples that now filled his burlap sack.

Erdan gasped, as the young wolf remembered something important he had forgotten to do earlier. Erdan glanced back at Zhong and Po, who were still blissfully unaware of the wolf cub's troubles. "Zhong, is okay if we stop by the farmer's market? There's something I have to do before we leave the village", Erdan asked.

Though he had tried to sound as calm and nonchalant as he could, there was a urgent tone hidden beneath Erdan's voice that intrigued Zhong. After thinking about it for a second, he decided the best way to find out what Erdan was up to was to see it for himself. "I don't see why not", Zhong replied, a toothy grin on the gray wolf's face.

"Thanks", Erdan said gratefully, before running ahead to the front of the group, wanting to make sure the Furious Five knew about their new destination.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, Po and his friends stepped into the farmer's market, and Erdan saw what he was looking for - Lila Yung's apple stand. The fruit vendor's stand looked virtually the same as it had three days ago, which meant it must have gone untouched during the croc's raid, and Erdan thanked god for that.

Po finally noticed what Erdan was staring at, and the panda raised his eyebrow curiously. "You know Mrs. Yung?", Po asked.

"Yeah, I met her when I first came to the Valley. I've got to make sure she's still okay from the croc raid", Erdan explained.

Po nodded his head, understanding the boy's concern. The panda was just about to walk forward, when Erdan put out his paw to stop him. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to her alone", Erdan requested. This time, both Po and Zhong nodded, and allowed Erdan to walk towards the stand, while the wolf and panda watched from a distance.

Inside her familiar wooden stand, a sleepy Mrs. Yung got to work rearranging her produce. Besides apples, she also sold oranges and bananas, which meant arranging all that fruit in the correct order everyday was quite a hassle. But before she could finish, someone disturbed her concentration.

"Excuse me miss, but can I talk to you?", someone asked. It sounded like a male, and a young male at that. The voice also sounded vaguely familiar to Lila, but she wasn't focusing entirely on it. She figured it was probably just one of the village children.

"In a minute", Mrs. Yung replied, though she still didn't look up from her apple tray. She was determined to finish her sorting before she got started on anything else.

"All right. I just wanted to thank you for selling me those apples on Valentines Day, they were delicious", the voice continued cheerfully.

Mrs. Yung froze, as she realized what the stranger was saying. She had only had one customer on Valentines Day, because all the other villagers had went into hiding during the crocs' raid. Mrs. Yung slowly lifted her head, and turned to look at her conversationalist. Even though she had only met him once, she easily recognized the young boy who was standing before her. Erdan, the troubled wolf cub she had met earlier that week.

The young wolf looked practically the same as he had when she last saw him, though she could tell he had changed out his dirty, ragged clothing and into normal village attire. And instead of his usual saddened frown, the preteen now bore a wide and toothy grin on his face, like all his sadness and guilt from before had just disappeared.

"Sorry about bothering you miss, but I needed to get your attention somehow", Erdan apologized. But before the wolf cub could go any further, Mrs. Yung ran out of her stand, and hugged the boy around the waist. "Erdan, you're still alive!", she said tearfully.

Erdan winced slightly, as the old goat continued to apply pressure to his stomach. The young wolf had to admit, for an old lady, she sure gave tight bear hugs. "I promised you I'd be fine, remember?", Erdan reminded her, though he still made sure his voice was reassuring.

"But I couldn't know for sure", Mrs. Yung countered, finally releasing Erdan from her grip.

"You can always trust my word Mrs. Yung. After all, a wolf always keeps his promises", Erdan reassured her.

"What does that mean?", she asked, confused.

"It's an old saying my parents used to tell me when I was five. Wolves weren't always known for being thieves and murderers. We used to be respected creatures, and our word used to mean a great deal to people", Erdan explained. "_And maybe someday, it will again_", Erdan thought to himself.

Mrs. Yung thought about Erdan's words for a moment, before her old worries returned. "What happened to you? When you didn't return after the raid, me and Howard thought you were dead", Mrs. Yung asked.

"I can assure you miss, I'm absolutely fine. I just got a little tired from the fight, and went to sleep. The Dragon Warrior and his friends found me and carried me back to the Jade Palace, and that's where I've been for the past three days", Erdan explained.

"You met the Dragon Warrior?", Mrs. Yung asked.

"And his friends", Erdan replied, before tilting his head to the side, gesturing towards the giant panda and his friends who were standing further up the street. Lila had been so focused on Erdan's safety and wellbeing that she hadn't even acknowledged the Dragon Warrior's presence yet.

Standing next to Po, she could see Zhong grinning while watching their conversation. He seemed to be especially focused on what Erdan was doing, far more so than the others, almost as if he and the boy knew each other well. Lila was hardly a mind reader, or some kind of fortune teller, but even she could tell that Zhong had some kind of special connection to the boy. "I see you've met Zhong", she noted.

"Yeah", Erdan replied.

"Is that why you're so happy now?", Lila asked.

Erdan hesitated for a moment, before finally nodding. "Yeah. I guess you could say he's volunteered to watch over me while I'm here", Erdan explained.

"Well, from what I understand, Zhong has never exactly been good with children. Is he treating you okay?", Mrs. Yung asked worriedly.

"Him and his girlfriend Shu have been more than good to me these past few days. They're the closest thing I've had to parents in almost a year", Erdan said.

"I'm glad you're not alone anymore", Lila said, a small grin on the old goat's face.

"So am I", Erdan said contently.

Mrs. Yung glanced back at Zhong again, and then at Po, before raising her eyebrow curiously. The wolf and panda seemed to bickering about something, like they always did, and that reminded Lila of something Erdan had told her earlier. "You said Shu is Zhong's girlfriend?", Mrs. Yung asked, and Erdan nodded his head in reply. "I always thought he and the Dragon Warrior were together", she said confusedly.

"Yeah, I thought so too", Erdan chuckled, his voice almost cheery. "_I knew I wasn't the only one_", he thought smugly. "Maybe we're just reading too much into something that's not even there", Erdan mused.

"Maybe", Mrs. Yung replied, though the senior citizen still wasn't convinced. She looked up at Erdan, and noticed the red cloth wrapped around the wolf cub's neck. "I see you found your bandanna after all", she noted, remembering her last conversation with the boy.

"Yeah, a friend found it and gave it back to me", Erdan replied, his smile growing impossibly wider.

Eventually, after catching up with Mrs. Yung on what she had missed, Erdan bid the old goat farewell, and walked back to his friends. "Alright, let's get this picnic started!", Erdan said eagerly.

Standing next to the wolf cub, Po breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally", the panda muttered. Having to stand next to Tigress and her enticing picnic basket for 15 minutes had almost killed the Dragon Warrior, but he somehow managed to resist the deadly temptation.

"Not so fast, I still have to make a stop of my own before we leave", Zhong announced.

"Aw, what is it now?", Po whined, stating to get annoyed by all the nonstop distractions. By now, he was certain his friends were all just doing this on purpose to torture him.

"Where are we going?", Erdan asked curiously.

"While we were waiting, I decided I should go pick up Shu. I'm sure my _girlfriend_ would love to come along on this picnic", Zhong said, his voice almost teasing.

Erdan smiled again, before he realized, a bit late, that his foster father had put extra emphasis on the word 'girlfriend' - almost as if he had wanted to make some kind of point. It only took Erdan a second to realize what that meant. "Wait, you heard us?", Erdan asked, both shocked and a little embarrassed at the same time.

Zhong grinned, amused by his son's discomfort, before pointing at one of his supersensitive ears. "Ears of a wolf, remember?", Zhong chuckled, before walking ahead of a stunned Erdan, and toward Shu's pottery shop.

**((()-()))**

Several minutes later, Shu's medium-sized kitchen was filled with kung fu masters. To say Shu's situation was uncomfortable would have been understandment, especially with Po's wide girth taking up much of the room. Luckily, Shu wasn't a very claustrophobic person, and the she-wolf managed to fill her lungs with enough air to answer her boyfriend's request. "Sure, I would love to go. It's been a while since my last picnic", Shu decided, a wide smile on the she-wolf's face.

But before Zhong could reply, his hungry panda friend cut him off. "Awesome! Let's go now", Po said excitedly, like a little kid who had been kept waiting all day. However, the Dragon Warrior bit his tongue once Tigress slapped him on the back of his head. "Ow", Po winced, before glaring angrily at his striped teammate.

"Alright, just let me dressed", Shu said.

After his girlfriend was finished speaking, Zhong turned to the group of the kung fu masters. "If you all don't mind, I'd like to speak to Shu alone", Zhong requested.

Everyone nodded their heads, and then respected the wolf's wishes by stepping out of the kitchen.

"Alright, what have you got to tell me?", Shu asked, once everyone was gone.

"It was the panda's idea. This whole picnic is a way of getting Erdan out of the palace for the day. Po has some kind surprise set up for him tonight, and he says it's important that we're all there with him. Since you and Erdan know each other so well, I figure you'd like to come too", Zhong explained.

"I'd love to", Shu replied, smiling.

Zhong grinned, and then that mischievous look appeared in the wolf's eye again. "By the way. When we came in, I noticed the door was still unlocked. I thought we went over this", Zhong reminded her.

"Ugh, don't start that again", Shu groaned.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, the Kung Fu masters (now with Shu in tow), made their way across the village. There were a few more villagers out on the street now, and some could be seen making minor repairs to their huts. A few villagers waved to Erdan, the wolf cub awkwardly waved back. Zhong was right, all the villager's friendliness would take some getting used to.

"Hey!", someone shouted.

Everyone glanced to the side, to see a very familiar face emerging out of his family's hut - Gerald Hao. Despite the traumatic experience both he and his family had had only a few day before, the villager had a warm smile on his face as he walked up to Po and the Furious Five. "It's good to see you all out and about. No one's seen you since Valentines Day", Gerald observed.

Po smiled, and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah well, we've kinda had our hands full since then", Po explained, before gesturing towards the youngest member of their group.

Gerald's eyes widened, as he recognized the wolf cub standing next to Zhong and Shu.  
>"Erdan! I see you found the Dragon Warrior", Gerald said, before extending his paw for the wolf cub to shake.<p>

"Yeah, it was easier than I thought it would be", Erdan replied, before respectfully shaking Gerald's hand.

"Wait, you know Gerald?", Zhong asked, confused.

"He was one of the first villagers I met when I came to the Valley. He pointed me to direction of the Jade Palace", Erdan explained.

Gerald raised his eyebrows, and glanced at Zhong, acknowledging the one-eyed wolf's presence for the first time. "I tried to tell you about Erdan, but you were in such a hurry that you didn't let me finish. How did you finally meet him?", Gerald asked, frowning.

"After I led your family to safety, he helped us stop the croc raid", Zhong explained.

"Ah, fate works in funny ways. I wasn't able to tell you about Erdan, but you still met him anyway", Gerald mused.

"That was completely by accident", Erdan argued.

"Was it? Me and Margaret have been living in this village a long time, even during the days of Master Oogway. And he used to have an old saying, that there are no accidents", Gerald said.

Before Zhong or Erdan could argue with the rabbit, Shu suddenly spoke up. "I know that one! Shifu told me about it", the she-wolf said excitedly.

Gerald looked like he was about to agree with Shu, when he was suddenly cut off by the sound of someone screaming. Everyone looked down at the same time, to see the man's young son, Fang, run of the hut, shouting battles cries. "Intruder! Intruder in the valley!", the prepubescent rabbit yelled.

Everyone moved out of the way, as Fang ran up to Erdan, and started kicking the wolf cub in the leg. It took him a while, but Erdan eventually realized that the rabbit's feeble kicks were meant to be attacks. Maybe it was because of the wolf's large size, or the softness of Fang's punches, but all the preteen felt was a few light taps against his knees. It barely even tickled his legs, let alone caused him any pain.

Still, the rabbit persisted in his attacks, as if he really was causing the wolf damage. "I'm not gonna let you eat my family!", the boy shouted.

Erdan chuckled, as he finally realized why the young villager had ambushed him. And he wasn't the only one, Po, Zhong, Shu, and Gerald couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of Fang's fears.

As he saw Erdan laugh with the others, Fang growled, thinking the wolf boy was mocking him, and decided to switch tactics. While Erdan was distracted, Fang stopped kicking his legs, and snuck up behind him. Moving quickly, so no one could stop him, Fang stepped down on Erdan's tail as hard as he could, and then waited for the wolf's inevitable scream.

"OW!", Erdan shouted, before quickly grasping his throbbing tail in his paws.

Fang grinned slyly, his plan was working. He knew he had to act fast. Now that Erdan's scream had gotten the others' attention, it was only a matter of time before Po or his dad tried to stop him. While Erdan was rubbing his sore tail, Fang ran up to the boy's front side, and leaped into the air. And as he was flying towards the wolf's midsection, the kung fu novice thrust his foot forward. In less than a second, he felt his hind paw collide with Erdan's groin, striking the wolf cub hard in his most vulnerable area.

Erdan froze. The boy quickly dropped his tail from his paws, and instead used them to grab his crotch, before falling to the ground in agonizing pain. The burning feeling that was spreading out from his midsection was unbearable. Still, Erdan forced himself to turn around, and snarl at his attacker. "That was a low blow", he managed to choke out.

Fang grinned. "It's the only part of you I can actually reach", Fang said smugly.

"Fang, what are you doing?!", Gerald shouted, quickly grabbing his son by the arm and dragging him away from Erdan.

"I was saving you. He was going to attack you", Fang insisted.

"Erdan is friend of the Dragon Warrior, he wouldn't attack us!", Gerald scolded.

While Gerald was busy reining in his son, Zhong and Shu helped Erdan get back on his feet. "Are you okay?", Zhong asked.

Erdan winced, as he accidentally put pressure on his sore groin. "Yeah, the pain's already fading", Erdan replied, before wincing again.

"Are you sure? Cause I got kicked in the nuts by Tigress once, and it hurt like hell", Zhong asked, still concerned.

"Zhong, watch the language!", Shu scolded, before slapping Zhong's head again, like she had the other day.

"Ow! Okay! The point is, that's one of the few things that sucks about being a man, we all have the same weakness", Zhong said.

"I said I'm okay", Erdan said assuringly, before turning to growl at Fang again. "But he won't be!", Erdan added, before angrily walking towards the rabbit boy.

Fang gulped, and stepped back a bit, as he realized he had angered his bigger, much stronger opponent. Before, Erdan hadn't been trying to fight back, but now that he had gotten on the wolf's bad side, Fang knew he didn't stand a ghost of a chance.

"Look _bunny_, you mess with the wolf, you get the claws!", Erdan growled. It was something he had heard Zhong say several times when he had been living with him in Gongmen City. Erdan hadn't really understood what it meant until now.

Both Po and Zhong's eyes widened in shocked, as they realized what the boy was saying. Before Erdan could come any closer, the Dragon Warrior quickly put himself between the two fighters. "Whoa, whoa, Erdan, calm down. Fang just thought he was protecting his family. You can understand that, can't you?", Po asked nervously.

Erdan glanced up at the panda angrily, and then scowled at Fang again, before taking a deep breath. After a few seconds, the wolf cub had calmed down enough to reply.

"Yes", Erdan said simply. He didn't know how he had left his temper get the best of him like that. Erdan hated violence and was usually pretty calm and collected. But that anger he had felt towards Fang when he kicked him was so primal and vicious. He had wanted to rip the boy apart. And the scary part was that he could have, if Po hadn't stopped him. Maybe he needed more practice controlling his anger than he had thought.

"Zhong, Erdan, Shu, you'll have to excuse my son. He's been pretty shaken up since Fung and his men attacked our home, and I think he panicked when he saw the boy so close to me", Gerald said apologetically. The angry villager then looked down and scowled at his son again. "Fang, I think you owe Erdan an apology", Gerald said.

Fang lifted his eyebrows, and stared at his father incredulously. "What? No way!", Fang argued.

"Fang", Gerald repeated sternly.

When he saw his father was in no mood for his usual protests, the young rabbit finally gave in. "Alright", he caved. Fang then turned towards to Erdan, frowning at the wolf cub, who eagerly returned that frown with an angry scowl. "I'm sorry I kicked you", Fang mumbled, trying to make his voice sound as sincere as he could.

Erdan stared at the rabbit for a few moments, before eventually sighing, the wolf's red eyes becoming calm and docile again. "Fine, I accept your apology", Erdan said.

Once he was satisfied with his son's apology, Mr. Hao smiled and spoke up again. "Now shake hands", Gerald said.

"What?! I'm not going near him!", Fang said, his voice panicked.

"Unless you want me to tell your mother about what you did, I suggest you two shake hands and make up", Gerald replied, the rabbit's voice stern again.

Fang gulped, and turned back towards Erdan who now had this weird grin on his face. Fang was never one to admit his fear (he was known by all his friends as being fearless), but right now, the rabbit boy was terrified. If he went anywhere near Erdan, there was a good chance the wolf would rip his arm off as payback. But if he didn't finish apologizing, his dad would tell his mother about everything, which would lead to a far worse fate than losing an arm.

Eventually, Fang forced himself to walk forward, and held his out his paw, though it was shaking so much he could barely keep it steady. Fang closed his eyes, and braced himself for the attack that never came. Instead, he was surprised to find his hand being shaken up and down, just like it would be in a regular handshake. He glanced up at Erdan, who now had a wide, and somewhat comforting, smile on his face. "Revenge isn't really my style", the wolf cub explained.

Fang grinned back, and then pulled back his hand, relieved it was still attached to his arm. But before he could say anything else, Erdan's voice suddenly became seriously again. "But if you ever kick me like that again, I will kick you back next time, understand?", Erdan asked, his voice mildly threatening.

Fang nodded in reply, and Erdan's grin returned. "Good then. My name's Erdan", the wolf cub said, deciding to introduce himself.

"I'm Fang", Fang replied, though his voice was still a bit shaky. Even after his bizarre experience was over, the boy still didn't know whether to be relieved or scared.

After the kids were done talking, an awkward silence fell over the group. "So, where are you are heading?", Gerald asked, hoping to break the tension.

"We thought it be nice to get out the village for the day, so we're heading to the bamboo forest for a picnic", Po replied, before the panda's stomach rumbled loudly. In all the chaos, he had forgotten all about the juicy food in Tigress' basket. But now that Gerald had brought up the subject, the panda was suddenly hungry again.

"You know, Fang's been cooped up inside all week, helping us repair the house. I bet he could do with some fun in the outdoors too. Would you mind taking him with you?", Gerald asked.

"What?!", Fang and Erdan asked at the same time, stunned by what the rabbit was suggesting.

"I don't see why not", Zhong replied, shrugging.

"But if we keep bringing more people along, there'll barely be enough food for all of us", Po whined. But as he soon as he spoke, Gerald, Zhong, Shu, and Tigress all glared at the panda, and he quickly decided to stop talking.

**((()-()))**

After taking for few more minutes to smooth out all the details with Fang's parents, the hungry group of animals were all set to move out again.

When Erdan wasn't looking, Po walked up to Gerald and his wife Margaret, and whispered in their ears. "Jer, me and Shifu are setting up this wicked surprise party for Erdan tonight on the palace grounds. I'm inviting all of his friends, and since you two seem to know each other so well, would you and the missus like to come?", Po asked.

"We would love to come. Margaret's always wanted to see the Jade Palace", Gerald whispered back.

Po grinned excitedly, his secret plan was already working. "Great. Oh, and could you tell Mr. and Mrs. Yung about the party? I'm sure they'd love to come too", Po added.

Gerald nodded his head in compliance, and watched as Po reached into his pocket. The panda extracted a few coins, and put them in the palm of Gerald's hand. "What's this for?", the rabbit asked confusedly.

"Do you think you can get Cree the painter to come too? I talked to Shu about the party, and she thinks we should have some kind of group painting made. I think this should be enough money to cover the bill", Po explained.

"Well, that's a lot of stuff to do in one day, but I'll try to remember it all the best I can", Gerald said, though the rabbit's voice was unsure.

Po smiled, and walked off to rejoin his friends, where Shu was busy checking Tigress' picnic basket. Since they were taking Fang with them, the boy's parents had added some extra food to the basket, so they wouldn't have to worry about running out. "Alright, everything's in order, so let's get moving. It shouldn't take us too long to walk to the forest", Shu said.

However, Fang had his own opinion about the she-wolf's excitement, which he quickly made known among the others. "That's cause you're all giants. But I can't walk all the way to the bamboo forest, my feet are too small", Fang argued.

As much as Shu hated to admit it, the little boy was right. There was no way someone Fang's size would be able to keep up with the others. But before she could say anything, Erdan had already came up with a solution. "You could ride on my shoulders", the wolf cub offered.

"Are you kidding? How do I know you won't try to drop me or something?", Fang argued.

"Like I said, revenge's not my style. But if you don't believe me, you can always walk with the others for the next two miles. If you can keep up", Erdan shrugged, unfazed by the rabbit's complaints.

Fang sighed, and climbed onto one of Erdan's giant paws. The rabbit boy held onto dear life, as Erdan lifted him up, and placed him on his shoulder. Fang wobbled for a moment, and nearly fell off the wolf cub's shoulder, before clinging onto Erdan's neck for support. Erdan winced, as Fang pulled on his fur, before the rabbit finally got his balance. Erdan sighed in relief when it was over, and followed his friends as they started their hour long trek.

**((()-()))**

"_**Look Through My Eyes**_" by Phil Collins begins.

About two hours later, Erdan bit down on his own little slice of heaven. If he had ever had any doubts about the Dragon Warrior's baking skills, they all vanished once the picnic started. Po was more than just a good eater, he was also a great chef, and his father's famous chocolate cake was delicious. "_I guess when you're the son of a chef, being a good cook just comes with the territory_", Erdan thought happily.

Erdan looked up, to see the sun shining high in the sky, lighting up the entire of forest of bamboo that surrounded them. The wolf cub had to admit, today day was especially beautiful. When he had first came to the Valley, he was so tired and hungry that he hadn't paid much attention to surroundings. But now that he had taken the time to stop and smell the roses, he realized just how beautiful the Valley of Peace was. He could think of no better place in China to spend the afternoon.

Their picnic had started an hour ago, when they had finally arrived in the bamboo forest. As soon as they stopped walking, a starving Po quickly helped his friends put down the blanket, only for Tigress to insist they do a ceremonial toast first (with tea instead of wine of course, Erdan and Fang were far too young to drink). "_A toast to Erdan. Here's to a long and happy life in the Valley of Peace. Salud!_", Po had said happily, before everyone clinked their tea cups together. Once the toast was over, the ravenous panda dug into the picnic basket full of food. Tigress and the rest of the Five had barely been able to pry him away long enough to serve the others. After an hour of eating, they were now on the last (and best) course, dessert.

Erdan watched as Po swallowed slice after slice of chocolate cake. Even after all the food he had devoured for the past, the panda was still hungry. Finally, the wolf cub had to say something. "Gosh, slow down Po, you might choke on the fork or something", Erdan warned.

"It's okay, I've been in eating contests before and I've eaten things a whole lot faster than this", the panda assured him, causing Erdan to roll his eyes and resume eating his own slice of cake. But before he could finish, he felt someone tapping on his leg.

Erdan glanced down to see Fang staring at him, a sheepish look on the rabbit boy's face. "I just wanted to thank you, for not throwing me off on the way here. I guess you're not such a bad guy after all", Fang mumbled.

Erdan grinned. "And I guess you aren't either. You were really gonna try to fight me back there?", Erdan asked curiously.

"I thought my dad was in danger. So of course I was gonna do whatever I could to help him", Fang said, before shrugging indifferently.

Erdan thought about Fang's words for a minute, before taking another bite out of his chocolate cake. Little did the rabbit know that his motives that he had been so blasé about hit a little close to home for Erdan. Still, the wolf cub didn't want think about that at the moment. He wanted to keep having fun, and not think about the past for once.

Hoping to find something to distract himself, Erdan glanced back at Crane, who was currently flying over with the picnic basket. Seeing the avian bird lift such a heavy object reminded Erdan of a question he had been wanting to ask him since he first came to the palace. "Crane, how much can you lift?", Erdan asked curiously.

"The heaviest thing I've ever lifted weighed about 500 pounds, which was Po", Crane replied, choosing ignoring his teammate's angry cries about his weight in the background. "I've never really tested it, but I've been training for years, so I guess I could lift something the size of a rhino", Crane finished.

"So lifting _me_ wouldn't be any trouble?", Erdan asked, while putting his piece of leftover cake to the side.

"Why do you ask?", Crane asked curiously.

"I've always wanted to fly. Do you think you could give me a lift?", Erdan asked.

"WHAT?!", everyone asked at the same time.

Erdan gulped, and moved back a bit, wishing he had just kept quiet.

Everyone glanced at Crane, only to find the bird was speechless. He was too shocked by the boy's question to come up with a reply.

Eventually, Erdan decided he should say something to help his point. "It wouldn't be too dangerous, would it? You and the other masters are trained in discipline and self-control, so you wouldn't drop me", Erdan added, hoping he could somehow sway the bird.

"Uhh", Crane stuttered, before looking to his friends for support. Unfortunately, he got none of any kind. Crane hated to admit it, but Erdan did make a good point. Because of Shifu's training, he always felt in control when he was flying, and there was a 95% chance Erdan's flight would be perfectly safe. However, if anything did happen and he somehow dropped the boy, it would be entirely his fault, and Zhong would have his head for sure. "I guess it would be safe. If it's okay with Zhong", Crane finally replied.

Zhong glanced at the bird to examine the sturdiness of his feet and wings, and then at Erdan, who's life would depend on Crane keeping his balance, before finally sighing. "I don't see why not. But you have to promise me you'll keep him safe", Zhong warned, and Crane nodded his head.

Erdan smiled, he still couldn't believe he had managed to convince them. "Cool", the wolf cub said excitedly.

"Hey, I want in on this ride", Fang spoke up, causing everyone to groan out loud. As if Erdan's ride wouldn't be dangerous enough, now the bird had to worry about carrying two passengers.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, Erdan gulped, he was beginning to have second thoughts about his 'bright idea'. While their avian friend was talking, both him and Fang listened to Crane's instructions as if they lives depended on it, and they did.

"Now remember, once we're in the air, try not to squirm or move around too much. Any shift in the balance of weight could throw my wings off balance and cause us all to fall", Crane warned them.

The two boys nodded their head in acknowledgement, while Shifu's other students (and Shu) watched anxiously nearby. Zhong was the most nervous of them all. He didn't know why he had agreed to this. He had vowed to keep Erdan safe, and now he was letting the boy risk his live for some high-flying thrill ride. Still, he had fought alongside Crane many times, and he trusted the bird to keep Erdan safe. Moreover, he trusted Erdan's judgment. The wolf cub wouldn't have agreed to this either if he had thought there was any chance of him getting hurt.

Acting on Crane's command, Erdan and Fang stood perfectly still in the middle of a field, waiting for the bird to make his move. Once Crane was in flight, he would swoop down and use his talons to grab the boys by their clothes. Even though they wanted to trust Crane, both Erdan and Fang knew there was a dozen ways the plan could go wrong.

"Are you ready?", Crane shouted from a distance.

Erdan and Fang hesitated for a moment, before they both nodded their heads.

"Okay!", Crane shouted, before flapping his wings, and lifting off the ground.

"Is it too late to change my mind about coming along?", Fang whispered, terrified.

"Yes", Erdan replied, before finally making eye contact with his fearful friend.

"Before we die, do you have any kind of regrets?", Fang asked nervously.

"Yeah, asking to do this is in the first place", Erdan replied, gulping. However, the wolf cub didn't have time to worry about that for long, because he finally heard the sound he had been dreading, the sound of Crane approaching them.

Only half a second later, Erdan felt something sharp come in contact with his shirt collar, which he instantly recognized as Crane's talons. Before the boy could react, or even scream, he felt himself being lifted off the ground and into the sky. Even though he had been expecting it, and even preparing himself for it mentally, Erdan was still taken by surprise at how rough the feeling of being carried was.

As soon as his feet left the ground, the wolf cub felt himself screaming out in fear, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Fang doing the same. Pretty soon, the two friends were clinging to each other out of fear.

Below them, Po and the Furious Five started to become smaller and smaller, until they were just tiny little specks, barely visible from the air. Once their screaming had subsided, Erdan and Fang finally released each other, and the preteen wolf could feel a small grin tugging at the edge of his lips. He was flying! Soaring over the trees like had always dreamed of. He was seeing the world from a whole new perspective, and he was loving every minute of it!

Before he could stop himself, Erdan found himself screaming again, but his time out of joy instead of fear. "Whoo-hoo!", the wolf cub shouted, laughing heartily.

Twenty feet below them, Po and his friends cheered Crane on, as the bird flew circles around them.

Shu smiled, as she watched Fang and Erdan laugh with joy. "Look at them up there, having fun", the she-wolf said.

"The rabbit and the wolf, partners in crime", Zhong added. Seeing Fang and Erdan play together reminded him of his childhood days playing with Shen. Except Erdan never had to worry about Fang growing up to become a sadistic warlord (well, maybe).

"You're doing good up there Crane!", Po shouted.

Crane gazed down as Po. He had heard the panda say something, but he was too high up to understand him. "What?", Crane asked confusedly.

"I said, you're doing good!", Po reiterated, this time shouting a bit louder.

However, Crane still didn't hear him. This time, the bird focused all his attention on Po, trying even harder to understand the panda. "What?", Crane asked again, he was starting to get frustrated.

This time, it looked like not only Po, but the entire Furious Five was shouting something at him. It took him a moment, but Crane finally realized that they were trying to warn him about something - something he couldn't see. "Look out for the tree!", they all screamed.

The long-legged bird turned his head around just in time to see them approaching a giant bamboo tree, one that was over thirty feet tall. Crane, Erdan, and Fang all screamed at the same time, before Crane jerked his body upwards. In less than a few seconds, they managed fly over the tree and out of the danger, just narrowly missing a bad collision.

Back on the ground, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, before they all turned to glare at Po. The panda gulped, and stepped backwards, and his angry teammates approached him. "Um, oops?", the Dragon Warrior said nervously.

**((()-()))**

Thirty minutes later, Po and his friends had packed up their picnic and were currently enroute to their next destination, Bamboo Lake, a lake that was located on the west side of the bamboo forest. Usually, they would have all been excited about their chance to go swimming, if they weren't still angry at their round friend.

"I can't believe you guys are still mad at me", Po groaned.

"You almost put your own teammate and two kids in the hospital Po. Yes, we're still mad at you", Tigress replied.

"But no one got hurt, right?", Po asked.

"Just barely", Crane said, as the angry bird walked by.

"Come on guys, don't let this minor incident ruin the rest of our day. We still haven't gone swimming yet", Po reminded them.

Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane all mumbled quietly, a few agreeing with Po, a few disagreeing.

Satisfied that he had calmed his friends' anger, Po stepped to the back of group to check on Fang and Erdan. "Are you guys sure you're okay?", the panda asked worriedly.

"We're okay. Just a little motion sick, but I've had worse", Erdan replied.

"Speak for yourself", Fang moaned.

"Well, I'm sorry for almost getting you killed, and I'd like to thank you for saving my tail back there, again. If you hadn't told Zhong and Tigress to calm down, I might not be here right now", Po said, placing his giant paw on the wolf's cub shoulder.

"Ah, it was nothing really", Erdan said dismissively.

"You haven't seen Tigress when she's mad", Po argued, before cringing out of fear.

Erdan chuckled, and nodded his head. This was going to be a very interesting day.

_**Author's Note:**_

In chapter 2, I told you the reason I introduced Fang Hao and his family into this story was for comic relief. Well, that was only half the truth. The other reason was so that Fang could be Erdan's best villager friend later on (I couldn't just give away the whole plot in the author's notes, now could I?). This chapter is full nods and homages to other movies and TV shows, and my past fics. Erdan's proclamation that a wolf always keeps his promises is from my very first Balto story, "_**Salvation, Part 1**_". Boris said once that the legends about wolves always keeping their promises dated back hundreds of years, and now you know where the old phrase came from. Erdan and his family invented it.

Po saying 'salud' during the picnic toast is a reference to "_**The Impossible Astronaut**_" / "_**Day of the Moon**_", the very first episode(s) of Doctor Who to ever be filmed in America (talk about a TV milestone!). And finally, I couldn't resist having Po and his friends shout 'look out for that tree!' when Erdan and Fang were gonna crash. I never got tired of that joke in "_**George of the Jungle**_" (the TV show, not the Brendan Frasier movie). The next chapter is all about Po's surprise for Erdan, which will lead to the wolf pup revealing some surprising secrets about his past. As usual, feel free to move onto chapter 12 (unless of course, you guys were planning on posting a review about this one first. If so, go right ahead).


	12. Chapter 12: Life Among the Distant Stars

_**Chapter 12: Life Among the Distant Stars.**_

By the day's end, Po and his friends finally arrived in the village, completely exhausted. Their day had been so crazy, and yet so much fun at the same time. Erdan had got to fly through the air with Crane, swing in the trees with Monkey, practice meditation with Viper, along with improving his swimming skills with Tigress (who knew she was such a good swimmer?). He had lost a eating contest against Po, but somehow managed to outfox Zhong during a game of hide and seek: kung fu style. Somehow, kung fu made even the most childish of games all the more fun.

Erdan watched as the sun set over the horizon, it seemed they would have to climb the palace stairs in the dark that night. However, Erdan was distracted from his worried thoughts when the Dragon Warrior grabbed his attention. "So, did you have fun today?", Po asked the wolf cub.

"Did I ever!", Erdan grinned.

"Well, it's not over yet. There's a surprise waiting for you back at the palace", Po explained.

Erdan raised his eyebrows. "What have you been plotting panda?", the preteen asked him curiously.

"You'll see", Po replied, grinning mischievously.

"Wait, aren't you gonna drop me off at my parents' house first?", Fang asked.

"You'll see too", Po replied, the panda's grin growing even wider.

**((()-()))**

Fifteen minutes later, the ten-animal group reached the top of the Jade Palace stairs. Erdan groaned uncomfortably, as Po's large paws continued to press down on his face. The panda had insisted that he let him cover his eyes, so his 'surprise' would stay secret up until the last minute. "Can I open my eyes now?", Erdan asked impatiently.

"Almost", Po replied. "Okay…now!", the panda said excitedly, before finally removing his paws from Erdan's face.

Erdan breathed a sigh of relief, and thrust his eyelids open. The boy was shocked by what he saw. Instead of being dark and empty like it usually was at sunset, the Jade Palace's lawn was now bright and filled with warmth. Shocked, Erdan looked up to see dozens of lanterns had been strung between the trees, making the lawn visible at night. But the only reason someone would want the lawn to be visible at sunset, was if they were planning on doing something after dark.

Erdan took his eyes off the lanterns for the first time, and glanced down, to see the lawn was filled with picnic tables. And some of the tables weren't empty. One table in the center of the lawn contained four familiar faces - Mr. and Mrs. Yung, along with Mr. and Mrs. Hao, the village couples Erdan had met during his first day in the Valley. There was also Master Shifu, and a pig that Erdan didn't recognize, but Po knew as Cree, the village painter.

"Mom! Dad!", Fang shouted, jumping off of Erdan's shoulder and running towards the table full of villagers.

"Fang, I'm glad you could join us", Gerald chuckled, as his son took his place at the table.

Once Fang was seated, the village animals all turned and waved to Erdan, who somehow managed to wave back. Eventually, Erdan turned towards Po, comprehension starting to wash over the wolf. "You planned this. All of it. That's why you had us leave the palace", Erdan whispered.

"Yep. Consider it an official 'welcome to the valley' gathering", Po replied, grinning.

"But why go to the trouble of putting all this together?", Erdan asked.

"You told me this morning that it was a tradition in your old village. I figured this might make you less homesick", Po explained.

"But how did you get Master Shifu to agree to this?", Erdan stuttered.

"You know Shifu, he's always eager to honor the traditions of another culture. Especially the traditions of a guest", Po replied, his tone blasé.

Erdan looked at him, and then the people, before tears started to flow down his eyes.

Po's jade green eyes widened, as he saw the boy start sobbing. "Whoa, are you okay little buddy? I thought this would cheer you up, not make you sadder", Po said worriedly. As the panda bent over to wipe away a few of Erdan's tears, Zhong and Shu walked up behind him, curious as to why the cub was suddenly crying.

A few moments later, Erdan pulled himself together enough to finally answer. "Everything's fine Po. Everything's great actually. Your party does remind me of my village. But it's not just my home I miss, I miss my family. I miss them so much", Erdan sobbed.

Po stared at the wolf sympathetically, he knew what it was like to be an orphan, lots of people did. But something inside the Dragon Warrior could tell that Erdan was a lot more like him than he had first thought.

Zhong looked like he was going to say something to comfort the cub, but Erdan raised his hand to stop him. He had had breakdowns like this before. He just needed a few minutes to calm down, and he would be okay. And after another three minutes came and went, Erdan's tears stopped entirely, and the young wolf sighed.

"Po, you asked me how my parents died, so I'll tell you. I think you all deserve to know", Erdan decided, watching as his friends all gathered around listen. Along with Po, Zhong, and Shu, Master Shifu, Fang, the Haos, the Yungs, and the Furious Five are formed a circle around the cub, listening intently to what he had to say.

"_**The Wedding of River Song**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"It was three months before I met Zhong. I used to live in a small mountain town fifty miles east of Gongmen City. It was a lot like Kong Wolf City, but on a much smaller scale. All the villagers were wolves like me, but we weren't soldiers like Zhong and his pack", Erdan explained, before glancing at Zhong, who only hung his head down in shame at the memory of his deceased pack.

"We were all farmers. Entire generations of my family had spent their whole lives living in the hills, watching the world around us grow and change from our own safe little haven. I was the only one of my people who was interested in Kung Fu. I wanted to be just like the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. I wanted to stop bad guys and protect China from villains like Tai Lung and Shen", Erdan continued, glancing sideways at Po and the Furious Five this time.

Erdan reached into his pack, and extracted the bow and arrow he had used against the croc bandits on Valentines Day. "I used to spend hours training and meditating. I even took up archery as a hobby. But after all that time and energy I had spent training everyday, I was still completely useless when my family needed me", Erdan said, his voice breaking again.

"What do you mean?", Zhong asked.

Erdan glanced up at his foster father, tears returning to his eyes. He turned away from Zhong, and looked at the Dragon Warrior again. "Po, this morning, you asked me if I understood wanting to protect my family. I understand it perfectly", Erdan said.

Po stared at Erdan confusedly, as the wolf cub continued with his story.

"My pack weren't the only people living in the Gongmen mountains. There was also a gang of mountain lions who had terrorized the area for years. They robbed communities and then burned them down so there wouldn't be any evidence of their crimes. I, along with my family, thought we were safe from danger in our secluded little village. We never thought they would attack us in our own home. But we were wrong. My pack's blissful ignorance cost them all their lives", Erdan explained darkly.

Zhong's heart stopped beating, and the wolf's body went stone cold, as he realized where Erdan's story was going. Erdan had told him before that his parents had been murdered, along with his entire village, but the boy had never gone into so much detail before. What's more, Zhong was beginning to understand the true horror Erdan must have witnessed. He and his pack had raided hundreds of villages during their thirty year exile, and the old general knew all too well about the chaos and destruction they always left in their wake. The panda massacre was an excellent example of that. Our of the corner of his eye, he could see Po, Shu, Shifu, the Five, the Haos, and the Yungs all tense at the same time as him.

"You don't mean?", Tigress whispered, horrified.

Erdan glanced at the striped master, but didn't reply, instead choosing to continue with his story. "They came at night, when we were least expecting an attack. They attacked all the other houses first, which woke up my parents and gave them enough time to hide me. I wanted to fight with them and protect our home, but they ordered me to hide in the kitchen cupboard and stay there until it was safe. They only gave me one instruction. If something was to happen to them, I was to run away and not look back, no matter what happened", Erdan continued.

"Eventually, the lions made their way to our home. The leader of the group had this apprentice, someone he was teaching about how to be a bandit. He was barely older than me, and he was already being taught how to kill. The lead cat killed my mother in cold blood, and made his servant watch. That coward stabbed her in back without even giving her a chance to defend herself!", Erdan growled, anger and hatred spreading through the boy's body.

"My father fought bravely, but he was still no match for him. He barely lasted longer than my mother. I wanted so badly to come out of hiding and help them, but I was too scared to even move. So I just stayed hidden", Erdan continued.

Po looked like he was about to say something, but Erdan once again raised his paw to keep him, and anyone else, from speaking. Now that he had started relieving these horrible, horrible memories, he wasn't going to stop for anything until he was finished.

"When the lead cat didn't go for me next, I thought I was safe, but I was wrong again. Turns out I was just too small of a threat for him to even waste his time on, so he ordered his servant to take me out next, while he checked on his men. For that one moment when he left me alone with his apprentice, I thought it was all over. I thought the nightmare would finally be over, and that I'd get to join my father and mother in heaven. There was a thousand different ways he could have killed me, but he never attacked", Erdan said, his voice lowering to a whisper at the end, almost as if he was speaking more to himself than the others.

"Why?", Viper asked, confused.

Erdan wiped away another tear, and turned to the serpent master. "I don't know. I think he was the youngest of the lions, and hated the killing just as much as I did. He said his gang would burn the house down soon. He told me to run while I still could, and not to look back, the same thing my parents told me. So I ran. I ran out that house and got as far away from my home I could. And only a few minutes after I left, the whole town burned to the ground. All my friends, my neighbors, my family, they were all gone. If it wasn't for that one guy I'd be dead right now, instead of standing here talking to you about what happened. And the worst part, I never even knew his name. I don't even know if he's still alive", Erdan said regretfully.

Erdan turned back to face his friends, absolute shame in the wolf cub's eyes. "I was the only one of my pack who knew how to fight. The only one who could have stopped the massacre. My people needed me, and I was too much of a coward to even try!", Erdan shouted at himself, before breaking down completely.

All the sadness, and anger and regret that had been building inside him for the past ten minutes, it all exploded at once, and the wolf cub suddenly felt his knees disappear from under him. Erdan lost all his sense of balance, and started swaying back and forth, but made no effort to steady himself. Whatever happened to him next, he would deserve every bit of it, and a thousand times more. But before he could hit the grass, Erdan felt Zhong scoop him up in his giant arms, and lift him off the ground.

As the wave of sadness continued to wash over him, somehow intensifying more and more with each second, Erdan couldn't help his next reaction. He buried himself into Zhong's fur as deeply as he could, and started crying onto his chest, once again soaking the wolf's clothes. Having Zhong around somehow made the pain more bearable. It was easier for Erdan to cope if he didn't have to do it alone.

The last time he had felt this vulnerable was the day before, when he and Zhong had reconciled for the first time in months. And before that, when he and Zhong used to share a hut, and the two had bonded over their families' deaths. Zhong had been there for him then, and he was still there for him now.

Erdan's desire to hug something when he was sad was purely instinctual, something he had grown accustomed to since birth. Erdan knew wolves were supposed to be tough and fearless warriors, but he wasn't some heartless monster, and even warriors needed to cry sometimes (a philosophy he and the Dragon Warrior shared). He thought back to his first day at the Jade Palace, when Shifu had told him that tears were part of what made him human. After all this time, he finally understood what the old master meant, the true wisdom beneath his words. Now he understood why Zhong and Po hugged so much during Zhong's first months in the Valley. Sometimes you needed someone to comfort you, even if it was from another guy.

After a few minutes, Erdan felt his sense of self-control finally returning, and he asked Zhong to put him back on the ground, who reluctantly agreed. An awkward silence fell over the group for a minute, while Erdan continued to steady himself, until Po finally spoke. "You're only a kid Erdan, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened. Even me and the Five would have had trouble stopping dozens of lions. There was nothing you could have done", Po argued.

"I could have at least tried. I would have rather died with my family than have to live with this guilt everyday", Erdan replied.

"You should have never been put in that kind of situation in the first place. I'm the Dragon Warrior, it's my job to keep things like that from happening. So if it's anybody fault Erdan, it's mine", Po said guiltily.

"You can't be everywhere at once panda. At the time, you didn't even know Shen and his men existed, let alone the lions who burned my village", Erdan scoffed.

Before Po could argue with the boy, Zhong spoke up for the first time. "Don't count me out of this. As warriors of Gongmen City, it was the responsibility of me and my pack to protect people. But all we cared about were ourselves. We failed them. _I_ failed them. And I failed you", Zhong said to Erdan, his face just as guilty as Po and Erdan's.

Shifu was about to join in the conversation, when Shu beat him to it. "Stop it! All of you! There was nothing any of you could have done", Shu interrupted.

"Shu is right. Massacres like the one that befell Erdan's village have been happening ever since the dawn of time, and they're nobody's fault except the people who committed them", Shifu agreed, the old panda choosing to speak up for the first time.

Shu nodded her head and turn towards Erdan, bending down so she could speak to the boy face-to-face. "Erdan, your parents wouldn't have wanted you to get yourself killed in a battle you couldn't win. They gave up their lives so their son could live. By being here right now, you're honoring their final wishes. And I know honoring people's last wishes means a lot to you", Shu reasoned.

Erdan couldn't argue with the she-wolf. When he thought Zhong was dead, he had walked all the way from Gongmen City (on foot the entire time), just to honor his dead friend's memory. "Maybe. But I'm still the last of my family, I'm all alone", Erdan said sadly.

"You're never alone Erdan. Even if they're dead, your parents are always with you. They're watching over you right now, protecting you from the heavens", Shu said, before looking up at the night sky.

Erdan followed her gaze, and stared at billions of stars that filled the night sky. The entire, endless universe in all it's splendor. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"You see all those stars? Those are the spirits of people's dead loved ones. They're always watching over us. Even in the day, when we can't see them", Shu explained.

Erdan looked down at Shu, and smiled at the she-wolf.

"And they're not the only ones watching over you. So long as I'm around, you'll never be alone", Zhong said, placing his paw on Erdan's shoulder, right before the wolf cub hugged him around the waist again, this time out of joy instead of sadness.

"Hey, don't forget about me", Shu said, grinning.

Zhong and Erdan chuckled, and then pulled the she-wolf into their family hug.

"And me", Po said, deciding to join in. Zhong, Erdan, and Shu groaned uncomfortably, as they sank into the panda's body fat.

"And me", Tigress said, before joining the group hug.

"And me", Monkey said, joining the usually stoic, striped master.

"And me", Viper said, following the yellow langur.

"And me", Crane said, accompanying the serpent warrior.

"And me", Mantis said, while riding on Crane's head.

"And me", Fang said, before hugging Erdan around the leg.

"And us", Gerald and Margaret stated, joining their son.

"And us", Lila and Howard added, the last two to step forward.

Po looked down, and grinned at the last man left standing. "Come on Shifu. Don't miss out on the love", Po teased lightly.

"I would rather watch", Shifu said simply.

"Suit yourself", Po said, chuckling. Someday he would get Shifu to join in one of their group hugs. He couldn't fight the love forever.

Erdan sighed contently. He didn't know why he had thought he was alone before. As he long as he remembered them, his parents were never really gone. And not only that, this place _was_ his home now, and these people were the best family any kid could ever ask for (if not the largest). His old pack had given up their lives so that someday he would find a new one, one that would treat him right and love him just as much as they did. And Erdan would be forever grateful for their sacrifice.

**((()-()))**

"_**Life Among the Distant Stars**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Over an hour later, their little gathering of friends and family was finally coming to an end, and it was nearly time to blow out the lanterns. After being badgered nonstop by Shu, Zhong had agreed to take part in the group portrait, even though it meant having to be on his best behavior. To Zhong's annoyance, it took Cree forever to finish her work of art, but when she finally did, she simply named it 'family'. However, both Cree and Shu refused to let anyone look at it until the paint finished drying. They would just have to wait until the next morning.

While Po was finishing the last of the food, Erdan simply sat at his table, staring up at the stars. Eventually, he caught Shu's attention. "Whatcha looking at?", she asked curiously.

"Just the stars and planets. There are even a few constellations visible tonight", Erdan explained, though he sounded a bit distracted.

Shu smiled. "Suddenly you're interested in astronomy too?", she asked.

"Yeah. Do you really think there's life out there? Among the distant stars, I mean?", Erdan asked.

"Could be, anything's possible. Our little melting pot of friends and family proves that", Shu replied, while watching Zhong and Po argue over who would get the last moon cake.

"I wonder if the madman's still out there", Erdan whispered.

"What madman are you talking about?", Shu asked, intrigued.

"Shifu told me some old stories about Master Oogway. During his first few years in the Valley, Oogway once met a man from another world. Well, he said he was from something called a parallel dimension, but you get the point. He was a real live spaceman! He had this spaceship that was bigger on the inside, and he could even change his whole face and everything", Erdan said excitedly.

"Anyway, Oogway helped the man fix his ship, and he promised he would be back to visit the Valley someday. Oogway never found out who he really was, but the guy always called himself 'the Doctor', and 'The Mad Man With A Box'", Erdan explained.

"Sounds like that was some adventure", Shu whistled, obviously impressed.

"Yeah. Maybe I'll get to meet the madman someday, and travel with him among the stars", Erdan said.

"Sounds like you have a dream", Shu noted, smiling again.

"Yeah, I do. But it's only my second dream. My main dream is to become a kung fu master. For now, I'm perfectly happy living in the Valley, hanging with the Dragon Warrior and his friends. I'll keep training at kung fu, and maybe someday I'll get to join the Furious Five", Erdan said.

"Well, from what Po told me about how you handled those crocs in the village, I'd say you're already on your way", Shu said encouragingly.

Erdan grinned, and looked up at the starry sky. The moon was still full, it would take at least another week until it moved onto the next stage in it's lunar cycle. Once he observed the moon's position in the sky, Erdan looked back to his friends. "Okay, it's time", the wolf cub announced.

Acting on Erdan's cue, everyone gathered in circle, and held hands. It was traditional in Erdan's village that at the end of one of their night gatherings, all the people join together and howl at the night sky. Unfortunately, only three of the guests that night were actually wolves, so the howling part would definitely be awkward. But Po and his friends would still try their best. After all, it was tradition.

Erdan looked up at the full moon, and tilted his head upwards. For more than a minute, the wolf cub howled at the Earth's satellite. The beauty of the wild dog's voice echoing all across the valley, and reaching all the way to the heavens. It combined with Zhong and Shu's howls to create a beautiful song of family. The three of them were more than just friends now. They were a pack, and nothing would ever change that.

The howls of Po and the Furious Five came out as mostly grunts and growls, but it was the thought that counted. Besides, they were all among friends, so there was no reason to worry about embarrassment or humiliation. Eventually it was all over, and the fourteen friends lowered their heads in exhaustion.

While everyone was else either panting or sweating, one guest was laughing excitedly. "Whoo! Was I awesome, or what?", Po grinned.

"Yeah, sure", everyone said half-heartedly.

And that was that. Everyone said their good-byes, and started to go their separate ways. Fang's family was already leaving down the stairs, and the Yungs were right behind them, when Mrs. Yung spotted Shu behind them, and remembered something she had wanted to ask the she-wolf earlier. "So Shu, are you _really_ Zhong's girlfriend?", she asked curiously.

"What are you talking about?", Shu asked confusedly, while Zhong and Erdan's eyes widened in alarm.

"She's just joking", Zhong said, stepping quickly.

"Yeah, good one Mrs. Yung", Erdan said nervously, while Zhong escorted Lila and Howard down the staircase, getting them as far away from Shu as fast as he could. Once the old couple had reached the bottom of the stairs, and were heading back towards their home again, both wolves breathed a sigh of relief, while Shu just scratched her head, at a complete loss for what had just happened.

**((()-()))**

Thirty minutes later, it was almost time for lights out in the palace, and Erdan was settling into his familiar bed. Shu, the Haos, and the Yungs were already safely in their village homes, having been escorted by Po and the Five for their own safety. Of course, as soon as they returned, Zhong had stepped in to say good night to Erdan.

"So, did Shu lock her door when you brought her home?", Erdan asked jokingly.

"No. I swear that girl wants to get herself killed. She's so stubborn", Zhong replied, his voice just as light as Erdan.

"Just like her boyfriend?", Erdan asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah", Zhong chuckled, grinning.

"Don't worry, you'll get through to her eventually", Erdan chuckled, before pulling the covers around himself. Soon, he closed his eyes, and started to feel the day's exhaustion catch up with him. He knew he'd be out like a light in no time.

Zhong smiled, and started to walk towards the door, when something stopped him. "Oh, and goodnight dad", Erdan said softly.

Zhong froze, as he realized what Erdan had just said. That was the first he had ever called him 'dad'. Zhong looked back, only to see Erdan had already fallen asleep on his pillow. Apparently, saying goodnight was the only thing that had been keeping him awake.

Zhong walked up, and tightened Erdan's covers so they wouldn't fall off, before he bent over the boy's ear. "Goodnight son", Zhong whispered, before blowing out the cub's bedside candles.

Once Zhong was gone, a small grin appeared on Erdan's face. Zhong would never know the preteen had been awake the whole time, and heard everything his foster father had said. "I love you too dad", Erdan whispered happily.

_**Author's Note:**_

Erdan certainly has a lot of dreams, doesn't he? But then again, didn't we all when we were preteens? To be truthful, when you're Erdan's age, you're still not sure what you want in life. All you know is that you want it to be epic. Oh, and some of you may recognize Erdan's story about '_The Mad Man With A Box_' as another Doctor Who reference, specifically towards the Eleventh Doctor. But it also may or may not be setting up events for a Doctor Who crossover someday. Maybe Erdan will get to meet the mysterious Doctor after all when he grows up (but that's a story for another day, and a completely different fanfic).

The music featured in this chapter ("_**The Wedding of River Song**_") is a variation on "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" and "_**Melody Pond**_", themes I introduced early on that are associated with Zhong, Erdan, and Shu. In this pivotal chapter, the two completely different musical motifs combine to create an absolutely wonderful suite of music. One that represents Erdan's sadness turning into happiness, as he begins to accept Zhong and Shu as his new family. There's also a hint of "_**Little Amy**_" and "_**Amy's Starless Life**_" at the end, Jenna's theme(s) from "_**Salvation, Part 1**_" (which represented childhood innocence).


	13. Chapter 13: Someone in the Dark

_**Author's Note:**_

Sorry I've been away for so long, it the end of the semester, and I've been studying for exams. Anyway, before we begin, I'd like to point out that this is the first time I've posted three chapters at once since I started this story in January. Hopefully, these three chapters make up for the three weeks I've been gone.

_**Chapter 13: Someone in the Dark.**_

As the sun rose again over Ancient China, the Jade Palace's training hall was filled to the brim with nearly a dozen martial arts animals, included one tired wolf cub. Erdan yawned, as he watched his friends do some early morning training. It was his fifth day living in the palace, and he was currently watching a sleepy Po spar with his equally sleepy teammate, Tigress. Even though it had to be around 7:00, Po, Erdan, and the Five were all still exhausted. He and his friends had stayed up pretty late the night before, during their little get-together. Still, the fun times they had all shared was well worth the drowsiness they all felt the next day.

Erdan watched as Po and Tigress exchanged punches and kicks. Tigress was not only strong, but fast too, jumping over and under the panda in less time than it would take for him to blink. However, Po was pretty fast too. Erdan watched as Tigress tried to leap over Po, only for the panda to grab her by her tail and throw the striped master off balance. After their little dance went back and forth for several minutes, it finally ended with Tigress pinning Po against the Jade Palace's floor. Once it was clear Po could fight no more, Erdan watched as Shifu waved his hands at his pupils, as a sign the match was over.

Po breathed a sigh of relief, and finally relaxed his body, allowing himself to breathe again for the first time in three minutes. Tigress reached down and offered the panda her paw, which he gladly accepted. "Congratulations, you lasted three and a half minutes that time. You're getting better", Tigress noted.

"Thanks, and it only took me three years", Po said jokingly, between pants. However, the panda's mouth fell wide open, as he watched Tigress' next reaction. For a split second, Po could have sworn he saw the female tiger smirk a bit at his joke, before walking off to rejoin her friends.

Erdan walked up to the Dragon Warrior, a look of disbelief on the wolf cub's face. "Whoa, did she just smile?", Erdan asked, surprised.

"I think she did", Po replied, laughing.

As Erdan watched from a distance, Shifu's students continued their daily sparring practice. They made sure they rotated opponents every few minutes, that way they'd make sure every single pupil got a decent workout. Eventually, Po noted that it would be lunchtime soon, and Shifu decided it was time to call it a day. They only had enough time for one more match before lunch, and the moment Monkey had been dreading arrived, when Shifu announced that he would be fighting Zhong in the last match. To both Erdan and Monkey's relief, Zhong was in a pretty good mood that day, so he only fought with moderate intensity, which was pretty normal for him on the rare days he was mellow.

Erdan watched as the wolf and monkey exchanged kicks and punches for several minutes, until Monkey decided to use a different tactic. The simian master leapt into the air, taking Zhong by surprise, before landing only a few feet behind the wolf. Monkey then preceded to kick Zhong in the legs, causing the wolf to fall flat on his back and immobilize him. Zhong was only down for a few seconds, but that was all the time Monkey needed to climb on top of his chest and pin him down. The little yellow langur gazed down at his fallen comrade, grinning triumphantly.

"Wolves aren't the only ones who can be sneaky. Monkeys know how to play dirty", Monkey proclaimed.

Instead of being angry or frustrated, like Erdan had expected him to be, Zhong couldn't help but laugh at how easily his smaller teammate had gotten the better of him. It seemed the wolf's sense of humor had improved greatly during his stay at the palace, as well as his sense of sportsmanship.

"Yeah, monkeys can be pretty sneaky", Zhong chuckled, grinning.

Monkey reached down, and extended his paw so he could help his teammate up. But instead of taking Monkey's hand, Zhong just grinned mischievously. Shifu hadn't waved his hands yet, which meant the match still wasn't over yet. And the wolf had concocted a plan of his own. Instead of grabbing Monkey's hand, Zhong stayed where he was on the floor, and spoke up again.

"Like I said, monkeys can be pretty sneaky. But wolves are like foxes. We not only play dirty, but we'll also attack you as soon as you let your guard down", Zhong added.

Monkey's eyes widened, as he realized what Zhong was about to do, but the simian master still didn't have enough time to run before Zhong made his move. In the blink of an eye, Zhong grabbed Monkey's paw, and yanked the yellow langur down as hard as he could. Before Monkey could react, Zhong rolled over, and pinned him down against the Jade Palace's floor, crushing his smaller, slightly more fragile, teammate.

"Ow, what is this?!", Monkey growled, his voice somewhat muffled by all the fur in his face.

"I'm using my body weight to pin you down, something the Dragon Warrior taught me my first month here. Thanks again Po", Zhong said, before grinning at his panda teammate, who was sitting next to a excited Erdan.

"You're welcome!", Po shouted, the panda's grin matching Zhong's.

Monkey scowled at his teammate for taking Zhong's side, before scowling up at his opponent.

"Do you yield?", Zhong asked, grinning.

"Never! Now get off me man!", Monkey groaned, as Zhong's massive weight pressed down on him. The monkey tried to escape, but Zhong had him pinned good. He couldn't even bend his tail and use it as a weapon anymore.

"Hey, at least I'm not trying to sit on you with my butt, like Po did to me", Zhong replied.

"Dude, how is this any better? You're like three times my weight!", Monkey complained.

"Tough. I'm not moving until you yield", Zhong replied stubbornly.

Before Monkey could reply, he felt something long and sharp poke him in the stomach, taking the langur by surprise. Monkey's eyes rolled around a bit, and he realized that Zhong's stomach was smushing his face, which meant the wolf's massive shorts was what was rubbing up against the rest of his body. The guy was literally crushing him with his crotch.

Monkey cringed, as a very disturbing thought entered his head. Maybe Erdan's theory about Zhong was right before, and maybe he was enjoying this moment for a completely different reason. "This isn't funny man! Something's poking me, and it'd better not be what I think is it!", Monkey complained.

"Hey, you're the one who started this. You tripped me with a banana peel", Zhong countered, before proceeding to further secure his teammate. Monkey groaned, as Zhong reached down, and wrapped his giant paws around the langur's arms, and tied them around his back. Though the wolf was certainly enjoying his teammate's discomfort, he was still careful to keep most of his weight off Monkey. After all, he only wanted to teach his friend a lesson, not put him in the hospital.

Eventually, Monkey stopped fighting him and sighed. Now that his hands were tied, he knew the match was over. "Look man, I'm sorry about the banana thing. If it's any consolation, it was meant for Po, not you", Monkey apologized.

"What?! Not cool man! Not cool!", Po shouted from a distance.

Zhong chuckled a bit, before looking down at Monkey. "Alright. Do you yield?", the gray wolf asked.

Monkey sighed again, before nodding his head. With that, the match was officially over. Zhong climbed off of Monkey, and watched as the sore simian stretched his arms and legs. "I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?", Zhong asked, concerned.

"No, I'm fine", Monkey replied, though it was obvious the langur's pride was hurt a little. Eventually, the monkey cracked his signature smiled, as a sign their friendship hadn't also been hurt by the ordeal. "But I'll get you next time", Monkey promised, before walking off to rejoin the Furious Five.

Zhong grinned, the wolf's expression almost challenging. "I look forward to it", Zhong replied, unworried. Zhong then looked over his shoulder, as two of his best friends walked up to him.

"Man, that sneak attack was so awesome!", Po said excitedly.

Erdan glanced at Zhong, the wolf cub's eyebrows raised. "So, what _was_ poking Monkey?", Erdan asked curiously. Though a small part of him didn't want to know the answer, in fear it would be both creepy and disturbing, a slightly larger part of him felt like he had to know.

"Probably this", Zhong replied, before reaching into his pocket and extracting an old paper scroll. "Shifu has us read this things every morning to memorize the 'secret moves'", Zhong explained, though by the sound of the wild dog's voice, he seemed almost unimpressed.

All of Erdan's thoughts about Zhong and Monkey quickly disappeared, as he gazed at the old scroll Zhong was holding in his hand. "_Whoa, the secret moves of Kung Fu. Oogway thought Shifu those, and now Shifu's teaching them to Po and Five… and my dad_", Erdan thought happily.

Erdan wished he was a student like Zhong, stopping bad guys and learning how to keep the Valley of Peace safe, one step at a time. But he wasn't a student, not yet anyway, and that was why he had to leave soon. So he wouldn't hold his friends back. But he still didn't know how he was going to tell them yet.

The wolf cub watched as Zhong put the scroll back in his pocket, and beckoned for his son to join him as they walked into the kitchen. But before they could get settled down in their chairs, someone knocked on the door in the other room.

Po groaned, and was about to get up, when Shifu walked past him, obviously intent on answering the door himself. The old panda returned in a few seconds, with a very familiar guest. "Thanks for letting me in Master Shifu. Hello everyone", Shu greeted.

"Hi Shu", Po replied, his voice mixed in with almost a dozen other happy greetings.

A wide smile appeared on Zhong's face, as Shu joined them in kitchen. And the grin only grew wider, as he realized the she-wolf was carrying a canvas in her hands. "Hello beautiful. I see the paint's done drying", Zhong observed.

"Yeah, Cree handed it over to me this morning. Are you guys ready to see what it looks like?", Shu asked excitedly.

"Yeah, sure", Erdan said eagerly.

"Love to", Po added.

"I don't see why not", Zhong shrugged.

"Your boyfriend tried to crush me with his body", Monkey said flatly, before shuddering at the memory.

Shu raised her eyebrows, and glanced at Zhong, who only shrugged again. "I don't wanna know", Shu mumbled, before placing her painting on the kitchen table.

Once the painting was laid out for everyone see, the Dragon Warrior and his friends wasted no time in seeing how it had turned out. Needless to say, their responses were mixed, at best. Some look pleased, others' embarrassed, and some, like, Po were clearly in denial.

"I'm not really that fat, am I? My butt's not that big", Po asked in disbelief, while Tigress rolled his eyes.

"Wow Zhong, you look so handsome", Shu noted.

"Thanks", Zhong replied, grinning.

Curious as to what his friends were talking about, Erdan glanced down at the oil canvas, and smiled widely as he saw what was painted on it. It was a still portrait from the night before, directly out of the boy's memories. The picnic tables were still set in the center of Jade Palace's lawn, and the lanterns were still hanging between the trees, lighting up the night sky. Erdan quickly found himself in the painting, sitting at one of the picnic tables with his foster family. He had to admit, Cree was a great artist. Her painting of him and his friends was pretty spot on.

Sitting on the boy's left side was Zhong, who despite his complaints about how long a portrait would take to finish, had managed to keep smiling for over an hour. Erdan grinned a little, as he stared at his father's awkward smile, which was now immortalized forever on paper. But still, Shu was right about one thing. For someone who had only one eye, and was clearly uncomfortable sitting still the whole time, Zhong did look kinda handsome on canvas, and he understood why women were so fascinated by him. "_If you're into the whole dark and brooding thing_", Erdan added.

Sitting on Erdan's right was Shu, who had her paw placed on the boy's shoulder. She looked so beautiful. Her hazel brown eyes reflecting the full moon in the sky. "_Out of all the guys in the world to fall in love with, I still don't why'd she choose dad. She could do so much better_", Erdan thought jokingly.

After looking past his new family, Erdan's eyes wandered across the painting and towards the other animals. The wolf cub's smile grew even wider, as saw Po eating several dozen dumplings in the background. Po had insisted a picture of him eating would be a funny one, but the trouble was that he always kept eating the food before Cree could finish painting. So they had to keep sending Zeng to bring more dumplings, all without moving from where they were standing.

"_For someone who's been trained in discipline and self-control, Po always pigs out when it come to food. No, scratch that. I've met pigs, and they still don't eat nearly as much Po_", Erdan joked to himself. Needless to say, holding still became even harder when they had to resist the urge to laugh at Po, their friend with a bottomless pit where his stomach should have been.

Erdan then glanced at Shifu and the Furious Five, who had remained perfectly still the entire hour, despite all the distractions. "_They're kung fu masters, holding still for freakishly long amounts of time is their specialty_", Erdan thought.

As well as smiling, Howard and Lila Yung had held their sore arms still for more than an hour so Cree could paint them waving. It _was_ a nice touch, and Erdan hoped the end result was worth the pain they were no doubt feeling today.

And finally, there was the Hao family. Gerald and Margaret had been in many portraits before (at their wedding, their anniversary, etc, etc.), and had found no problem in freezing their body for an hour. Their son, not so much. Even with his mother scolding him every few minutes, Fang had found it impossible to hold still. The rabbit had squirmed, flinched, and almost had been as distracting as Po.

Cree was obviously a miracle worker, because any other painter would have just given up on the bothersome group. Instead, she kept working, blending and weaving together dozens of different colors for an hour, until she turned a disaster into a masterpiece. He had to make sure he thanked her later.

At the end of it all, Erdan was glad Po and Shu had decided to hire the painter. So long as this portrait was in his possession, he'd never forget the night he had bonded with his new family. The best night he had had in years. When he was finally done, Erdan looked up at his friends, who were all grinning at him hopefully.

"So, what do you think?", Viper asked.

"It's beautiful. It's the perfect way to remember my last few days here at the palace", Erdan replied.

"Last?", Zhong asked, confused.

Erdan's smile faded a bit, as he remembered he still hadn't filled in his friends about his plans for the week. "Yeah. I became a guest in the palace because I needed time to rest from travels, and a place to stay until then. But now that I'm better I don't need to stay here any longer. I'm not a student, so I don't want to be a burden", Erdan explained.

"What? But where will you go? You've got nowhere else to stay", Shu asked, worried.

"There's a boarding house in the village. I figured I'll stay there until I get job and get a place of my own", Erdan explained.

"But, you'll be all alone again", Viper said, concerned,

"I won't be alone. I'll stop by and visit you guys whenever I can, and I have plenty of friends in the village", Erdan said, unworried.

Zhong shook his head a bit, which gained Erdan's attention. "I understand you wanting to be independent and start a life of your own. But I don't like the idea of you living with strangers. I'd feel better if I knew you were people I trust", Zhong said, worried.

"I've lived with strangers for six months now Zhong. I know you're worried about me, but trust me, I can take care of myself", Erdan argued, to which Zhong had no reply.

"No offense kid, but how are you gonna pay for a room in a boarding house? There aren't that many stores hiring. And even if they were, not too many would jump at the chance to hire a wolf", Mantis argued.

Erdan opened his mouth to argue with the insect master, but then closed it, when he realized Mantis had a point. "That's true", Erdan muttered.

Po stared pitifully at the boy, until a light bulb went off in the panda's head. "Wait, my dad", Po whispered.

Zhong glanced at Po, confused as to what Mr. Ping had to do with their situation. "The noodle guy? What about him?", Zhong asked.

"Ever since I became the Dragon Warrior, Dad's always talking about how he's shorthanded. He's been looking for a new waiter for a while now, maybe he'd hire Erdan", Po suggested.

"You really think he'd trust a wolf like me around his customers?", Erdan asked, his voice hopeful.

"Dad dated a scorpion once. Trust me, he's pretty open-minded", Po said reassuringly. But the panda's friends still seemed unconvinced, so he decided to argue his point a little more. "Don't you see? This is perfect. Dad not only hires new employees, but he also has a spare room where they can stay. Zhong, you said you wanted Erdan living with someone you could trust, and who's more trustworthy than my dad?", Po asked, turning towards his gray wolf comrade.

Zhong thought about Po's words for a while, before sighing. Even though he was still unsure about whether or not Po's plan would even work, it was better than nothing. "Alright panda, I see your point. Besides, what have we got to lose?", Zhong decided.

Once they saw Zhong was onboard, both Po and Erdan grinned at the same time. "Awesome. We'll talk to dad about the job opening morning tomorrow morning. Cross your fingers, or whatever it is you wolves have", Po said, rambling a bit towards the end.

Everyone in the room nodded their heads, though they were all still nervous. Po's plan depended entirely on whether or not Mr. Ping would trust Erdan enough to work in the same kitchen as him, and there was no guarantee the goose would warm up to him as fast as the others had. Still, Po and his friends had learned a long time ago that when it came to Mr. Ping, it was always best to expect the unexpected.

**((()-()))**

Later that night, Erdan once again found himself ready to go sleep. Except this time was different than the others. This was the last time he was ever gonna sleep in his own bed. The last night he'd spend in the Jade Palace with his friends. He had just started to get used to living there, and it was time for him to leave already, just like his days rooming with Zhong in Gongmen City. History had a funny way of repeating itself.

Erdan was about to settle in, when he heard someone knocking on the door. He already knew who it was. The same person it always was. "No offense dad, but shouldn't you be walking Shu home right now? It's gonna dark soon", Erdan asked, without turning around.

"The sun hasn't finished setting yet, so I thought I'd talk to you first", Zhong replied, his voice muffled slightly by the fabric that separated them.

"You can come in dad, the door doesn't have a lock", Erdan said, grinning a little as he started to unfold his blanket. Erdan turned around, to see Zhong sporting a grin of his own. Apparently, he had been amused by the boy's little joke, even though he had just made it up on the spot.

"That's the third time you've called me 'dad' since last night. What happened to our first name basis?", Zhong asked, curious.

"It was getting too confusing. 'Zhong', 'Yu', I couldn't keep up. So I've decided to just call you dad now", Erdan replied.

"Yeah, but dad is something kids call their real father. Not some jerk they meet on the street and decide to share a hut with", Zhong replied.

"You are my real father", Erdan replied, unfazed.

Zhong tilted his head to side, confused, and Erdan laughed. Zhong was a grown man, so why was it so difficult for him to get what he was saying? "Zhong, I love my parents, and I respect them greatly. But I love and respect you too, and after everything we've been through together, you're as real a father to me as my dad was. So I'm sure my parents won't mind if I decide to include you in the family. And besides, Mr. Ping isn't Po's biological father, but you heard how Po called him 'dad' this afternoon", Erdan explained.

Zhong grinned. "So what you're saying is, if we're gonna do this 'father and son' thing, we might as well make it official, right?", Zhong asked jokingly.

"Right", Erdan replied.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind you including me in the family? I'm not sure they'd approve of their son being raised by an ex-con", Zhong asked, though Erdan could tell that under Zhong's light tone, he was also serious about the question.

Erdan smirked. "Probably not. My mom probably wouldn't have liked me hanging around a hardened criminal. At least, until she found out the 'scary killer' likes to sing his girlfriend to sleep with show tunes", Erdan replied.

Zhong's smile faded, and Erdan watched with enjoyment as a shocked expression appeared on the gray wolf's face. "What? How do you know about that?", Zhong asked, confused.

"On my first night here, I got up for a glass of water, and I heard you singing. Nice job by the way, I wouldn't have pegged you for a singer", Erdan replied.

"Yeah, it something I used to do to help my kids go to sleep", Zhong explained awkwardly.

Erdan's smirk widened, as he saw his dad was still uncomfortable talking about his secret talent. "Relax, your secret is safe with me, along with your reputation", Erdan said reassuringly.

Zhong's smile slowly started to return, and he patted Erdan on the head. "You're a good kid", Zhong said.

"It's not me you should be worrying about anyway. You've known Po longer than I have, so you know he can't keep a secret", Erdan said.

"Wait, Po knows?", Zhong asked, alarmed.

"Mmm-hmm, he was listening in with me through the door", Erdan replied.

"Oh, that's just great", Zhong groaned.

Erdan laughed at his dad's embarrassment, before he remembered something he had wanted to ask him from before. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?", the wolf cub asked, curious.

Before he answered, Zhong decided to sit down next to Erdan's bed, so the father and son could speak to each other face-to-face, like they normally did when they were discussing something important. "I wanted to say that no matter what happens tomorrow, I've always got your back. If you don't find a job, or if they treat you badly at the village, I'm always here to help", Zhong explained.

"If I do wind up broke and living in box somewhere, exactly how could you help me?", Erdan asked, raising his eyebrow.

"If you don't find a home, I'll just buy a hut of my own, and we'll room together again, like we did in the old days", Zhong explained.

"But how could you buy a hut? You're always here at the palace, training with the others", Erdan asked, confused.

"Simple. I'd just give up being a kung fu master and quit", Zhong said.

"But Zhong, you can't just quit. You have responsibilities now, to both Shifu and the valley. Po and the Five need you", Erdan argued, alarmed by what his father was suggesting.

Zhong scoffed, and the gray wolf laughed out loud, his hearty voice echoing across the room. "Po and the Furious Five were doing just fine before they met me, and they'd still do alright without me. Besides, every decent father will tell you that his family comes before his job. Nothing else even comes close", Zhong replied.

Even though he should have been arguing with Zhong, or insisting the wolf was out of his mind, Erdan could feel a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Because he knew Zhong's words were absolutely true. The middle-aged wolf would have done anything he could if he thought his son needed him, just like how Erdan would have done anything to help his dad.

"Erdan, you may have had to do everything on your own before, but that was before you met me. And like I said last night, those days are long gone", Zhong said assuredly.

Now, Erdan's smile turned into a full fledged grin, as he stared at the lovable idiot who was sitting next to him. "Thanks dad", Erdan said, and Zhong nodded in reply. "Still, let's hope Po's dad hires me tomorrow, so it won't have to come to that", Erdan added.

With that having been said, Erdan laid down on his pillow, and prepared to go sleep. Suddenly, an idea popped in his head. "You know, since you're such a good singer, how about singing me a song so I can go to sleep?", Erdan suggested.

Zhong's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly argued with his boy's suggestion. "Why do you need a song? You never had a problem going to sleep before", Zhong asked, confused.

"I'm too nervous to sleep. But I'm having a job interview tomorrow and I need to be well rested. Besides, you didn't seem to mind singing to your lady friend", Erdan replied.

"You're fourteen years old, you don't need a lullaby", Zhong argued.

"Shu's twenty-seven", Erdan replied, unfazed.

Zhong sighed. If it had been anyone else besides Erdan, he'd tell them to forget it and go to bed. But he felt like he owed the kid a favor, so he decided to risk humiliating himself if it helped him get some sleep. "Fine, what do you want it to be about?", Zhong asked.

"Give me a second to think of something", Erdan requested, the wolf cub's expression thoughtful. The boy then looked out the window, to see the sun setting over the horizon.

Zhong tilted his head to side, as he watched Erdan stare at the distant star intently. He didn't understand how looking at the sun was going help him think of an idea for a song. "What are you thinking about?", Zhong asked curiously.

"About what you said earlier. You're right, we have been through a lot together. You can sing a song about us", Erdan suggested.

"Alright, give me a minute to think of the lyrics", Zhong requested. A few minutes later, Zhong had finished thinking of song. Granted, it was short, but it was a lullaby, not an anthem, it didn't need to have a dozen verses.

"_**Someone in the Dark**_" by Michael Jackson begins.

"_**All alone, wishing on stars…waiting for you to find me. One sweet night, I knew I would see…A stranger who'd be my friend**_", Zhong began.

Erdan sighed contently. Zhong's singing voice was every bit as soft and soothing as he remembered it was. And the song he was singing, it was so beautiful. It brought memories of his first encounter with Zhong, that fateful day Wolf Boss had rescued him from being killed by his soldiers. The single most defining moment of his life.

"_**When someone in the dark reaches out to you, and touches off a spark that comes shining through, It tells you never be afraid. Then somewhere in your heart you can feel the glow, a light to keep you warm when the night winds blow!**_", Zhong sang.

Outside Erdan's bedroom, in the palace's hallway, Po and the Furious Five were just about to walk Shu home when they heard the sound of someone singing, and decided to look for the source. Once they saw Erdan's door was open, Po quickly recognized the voice as Zhong's.

"Who's that singing?", Monkey asked.

"It's pretty good", Crane noted.

"It's beautiful", Viper said, sighing happily.

"It's Zhong", Po said, grinning.

"You're kidding", Tigress asked him.

"He's the telling truth. Zhong's not just a fighter, he's also a singer", Shu said, smiling.

"But that can't be Zhong, his voice is all scratchy and rough", Mantis argued.

"While that voice is all soft and soothing", Viper said, while pointing her tail in the direction of the song.

"I know, but it is. If you don't believe me, see you for yourself", Po insisted.

Acting on the panda's suggestion, Po's friends all peered their head already the corner to see if their friend really was delusional. However, their mouths all fell open in shock, as they saw Zhong leaning over Erdan's bed, singing to boy.

"Told you", Po said smugly.

"_**Like it was written in the stars, I knew…my friend, my someone in the dark was you**_", Zhong continued.

Erdan pulled his blanket over his chest. He was beginning to see why Zhong's lullaby had been so potent on Shu, he was already starting to feel sleepy himself. "_**Thank you**_", Erdan whispered.

"No problem", Zhong replied, before continuing with his song. "_**Promise me, we'll always be walking the world together. Hand in hand, where dreams never end. My star secret friend and me**_", Zhong continued.

As his foster father continued his lullaby, Erdan's thoughts wandered to his first days living with Zhong Yu. The happiness, the relief, the heartbreak, he had felt all those and emotions and more when he started to realize who deep his relationship with his older roommate went. It wasn't everyday you found a real friend in the world, and finding a father was a once life in a lifetime thing. Which meant Erdan must have been the luckiest kid in the world.

Standing in the open doorway, Shu suddenly felt compelled to sing herself. Even though she knew her relationship with Erdan didn't go nearly as deep as Zhong's, Shu still saw Erdan as her son, and felt like she had something she wanted to contribute to the song. Shu suddenly stepped out of hiding place, and joined Zhong and Erdan in the room.

"_**When someone in the dark reaches out to you, and touches off a spark that comes shining through, it tells you never be afraid**_", Shu sang, repeating Zhong's earlier verse.

Zhong grinned, as he saw his girlfriend join him. It didn't take much to guess she had been listening in. However, what did surprise him was when Po decided to come out of his own hiding place and join in too. Apparently, eavesdropping had became a group activity in the palace.

"_**Then somewhere in your heart you can feel the glow. A light to keep you warm when the night winds blow. Look for the rainbow in the sky**_", Po sang, improvising the end.

Erdan smiled, now his whole family was here. His mom, his dad, his kooky out-of-shape uncle. Besides the fact they were talking animals, and they were all different species, they were like a typical Chinese family. As he felt his eyelids closing, Erdan's thoughts once again wandered to his memories of Gongmen City, as Zhong's song started to take a sad turn.

"_**Oh, I believe that you and I, could never really say goodbye!**_", Zhong sang, his voice peaking, before falling again.

Erdan sniffled a little. Zhong's talk about good-byes reminded him of that awful day he'd received Zhong's letter, telling him his father was dead. It was the day their friendship had almost ended forever. Almost. Like Zhong said, those days were gone, and they were never coming back.

With that last pleasant thought on his mind, Erdan finally gave into his exhaustion, and allowed himself to drift off to sleep. The last thing he heard was the end of Zhong's song.

"_**Wherever you may be, I'll look up and see, someone in the dark for me. Wherever you may be, I'll look up and see, someone in the dark for me**_", Zhong finished. The gray wolf, along with Po and Shu, padded out of the room, and looked at Erdan one last time. "Goodnight son", Zhong whispered, before walking into hallway. Unsurprisingly, the rest of Furious Five were waiting for him.

Zhong sighed, it was best to get the humiliation over with now than to try and put it off until later. "Look guys, if you're gonna laugh at me about the singing thing, just do it now while I'm still too tired to pay attention", Zhong requested, annoyed.

"Nah, forget about it man", Monkey said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, we understand you did it for the kid", Crane said.

"Besides, it's not like you're the only guy we know who can sing. Po's sung at parties plenty of times", Mantis added.

Curious, Zhong glanced at Po.

"I dabble sometimes. People say I'm the life of the party", Po said simply.

Zhong grinned. "Thanks guys", the gray wolf said, before reaching out and grabbing Shu's hand. He still had to walk his lady love home. "_**Wherever you may be, I'll look up and see, someone in the dark for you**_", Zhong thought happily, as he and Shu started their long walk home. Erdan was right about them all having a big day ahead of them, and they needed all the rest they could get.

_**Author's Note:**_

When I first started writing this story, I planned some things from the beginning, while other things I made up as I went along. And one of the things I had always planned was for Zhong to sing "_**Someone in the Dark**_". It's one of the reasons I introduced the idea of him being a singer in chapter 7. And even though I'm sure most of you know who Michael Jackson is, I'm writing this author's note for some of the younger readers who may have never heard of him (I had no clue who MJ was until he died in 2009). To clear things up, "_**Someone in the Dark**_" was a song by the late King of Pop, written for the classic 80s' film "_**E.T. Extra Terrestrial**_". I chose it for this story because it's a song about undying friendship, which is something that's very, very rare to find in life, And I also think it fits the friendship Yu and Erdan had in Wolflover111's original story (since Zhong was Erdan's friend before he became his father). The song is also a slight nod to one of Animation Universe's Christmas fics, "_**Finding That Holiday Spirit**_".


	14. Chapter 14: Kindred Spirits

_**Chapter 14: Helped Wanted (Kindred Spirits).**_

When the next morning came around, Erdan's stay at the Jade Palace finally came to an end, and the wolf cub set out for his third trip to the village. He had already filled his backpack with all his worldly possessions (he didn't have much to take with him, only his bow, some arrows, his new clothes, Cree's painting, and his neckerchief/bandana), and was ready to look for his new home. Luckily for him, Po and Zhong decided to come along for moral support, and to help him argue his case to Mr. Ping.

Erdan had never been to Po's old home before, so he had no idea what to expect when they arrived at the north side of the village. To his surprise, Mr. Ping's noodle shop was situated in an alleyway between two buildings, with a thin fence made of painted fabric separating it from the rest of the street. But instead of being small and cramped inside, the alleyway was spacious and huge, and filled with row after row of tables, covering every available inch of space.

At the very end of the alley was Mr. Ping's hut/kitchen, the place the Dragon Warrior had lived for over 30 years. Needless to say, the old goose was surprised to see his son visit him so early in thr week, and even more surprised to see he had brought friends with him. Unfortunately, the negotiation about the job opening didn't go nearly as well as the initial greetings. Zhong and Erdan watched awkwardly, as Po and his father argued back and forth about the wolf cub in question.

"Absolutely not!", Mr. Ping said.

"But dad, Erdan needs a place to stay. And besides, you said you've been wanting a new waiter for months", Po argued.

"The last time I hired someone on your suggestion, he tried to throw me off a rooftop! That psycho rhino could have killed me!", Mr. Ping replied angrily.

"You can fly dad. Besides, what happened with Hun Dun was a total fluke", Po replied.

For the first time since the argument began, Zhong decided to speak up. "Wait, Hun Dun's real?", Zhong asked, confused.

As he saw how surprised his friend was, Po smirked triumphantly. "Looks like I won the bet. So when do you wanna go to Chor-Gom?", Po asked gloatingly.

Zhong growled under his breath, muttered something about Po always having to be right, and then turned back towards Mr. Ping, who was still visibly fuming. Finally, after he had calmed down a bit, the goose turned back to Po, hoping he could talk some sense into his son. "An unstable rhino was bad enough Po, and now you want me to hire a wolf? And a young wolf at that! I can't have him eating all my customers Po, it would be bad for business", Mr. Ping reasoned.

"You said it yourself dad, Erdan's still young, while Hun Dun was a grown man. How much damage can one kid really cause?", Po argued, though he could see his father still wasn't going to budge on the matter. The panda bent down on his haunches, and leaned his head down so he could speak to his father face-to-face. "Dad, I know mistakes-", Po began.

"Plenty of mistakes", Mr. Ping corrected him.

Po's smile faded a little. "Yeah, and I know mess up sometimes-", Po continued.

"Almost all the time", Mr. Ping added.

This time, Po's smile faded completely, and he frowned at his goose father. "I get it, I'm a screw-up. I know I can mess things up sometimes, but I've never let you down, have I? No matter how much trouble I get in, I always find a way out of it. And sometimes, once every blue moon or so, my judgment is perfectly clear, and I get things just right", Po said reassuringly.

Mr. Ping stared at the panda for minute, clearly debating his son's judgment, before the old goose sighed in defeat. "Fine, if you think this Erdan kid can control himself, then I trust your judgment son", Mr. Ping decided.

"Sweet", Po grinned.

But before Po could say anything else, Mr. Ping ran up to Erdan, and thrust his spatula in the boy's face, taking him by surprise. Not knowing what else to do, Erdan held his paws up in the air, as a sign he meant the goose no harm. "But I'm only giving you this one chance kid. If I see you put those fangs of yours anywhere near the villagers, or more importantly, my customers, I'll throw you out on your tail faster then you can say 'full moon'. You understand?", Mr. Ping asked, his voice semi-threatening.

"Yes sir", Erdan replied, nodding his head in compliance.

Mr. Ping stared at the boy's face for minute, checking his expression to make sure his words were sincere, and not just spoken out of fear, before putting his spatula back in his pocket. "Excellent, you'll start right now", Mr. Ping said, before walking towards the kitchen.

"What, right now?", Erdan asked, surprised.

"Yes, _now_. You'll have to start training right away if you wanna work in my kitchen", Mr. Ping replied, before turning towards his panda son. "Po, can you help me show him the ropes?", the old goose asked.

"Sorry dad, Zhong and I can't stay. We promised Shifu we'd only stay long enough to see if you'd give Erdan the job, and then we'd had back to the palace to train with the others", Po explained.

Mr. Ping's face fell, and Erdan watched as the goose's fierce expression was replaced by a look of longing and sadness. "But you just got here", Mr. Ping argued.

"I know dad, I don't like being so busy here. But I've got stuff to do, Dragon Warrior responsibilities and everything. I guess being awesome comes at a price", Po said, his voice half-joking and half-serious.

Mr. Ping sighed again, before waving his spatula in the air. "Fine, go. Leave me alone with the man-eating teenager, I'm sure I'll be alright", the goose said sarcastically, though Erdan could tell he was just using sarcasm as a way of hiding his pain.

Po stared at his goose father, and Erdan could tell he sincerely regretted having to do what he was about to do, but the panda knew he had no choice in the matter. Great power really did come with great responsibility. "Alright dad, I guess I'll see you later. You too Erdan", Po said sadly.

Zhong walked up to Erdan, and rubbed the fur on the boy's head. "You take care of yourself son. There's plenty of crime in this village, so don't go doing anything stupid the next time you see someone getting robbed. Me, Po and the Five are always just up the mountain if you need us", Zhong said.

Erdan grinned a little. "I'll miss you too dad", Erdan said simply.

"Same here", Zhong said, before walking off to join Po.

"Cute kid", Po noted, hoping to take his mind off his guilt.

"Yeah", Zhong replied. However, the wolf wasn't really paying that much attention to what Po had said, he was too busy thinking about how he was going to focus on training when he kept thinking about Erdan.

Both Mr. Ping and Erdan watched wistfully, as their loved ones walked off down the street, leaving them alone again. Mr. Ping sighed. "No matter how much you love them, they always leave", the old goose said under his breath.

"Always", Erdan said sympathetically, before sighing too.

Mr. Ping turned towards Erdan, surprised. The goose hadn't meant to say that out loud, but Erdan somehow had understood what he meant. He didn't know how a little boy could possibly understand what it meant to be alone, and he didn't really care that much. All he wanted to do was drown himself in his work as quickly as he could, so he could take his mind off Po. "Come on, I'll start by showing you the oven", Mr. Ping said, before beckoning for the wolf cub to join him.

**((()-()))**

About an hour later, Erdan found himself chopping up some carrots with a knife. To Mr. Ping's surprise, he was already an experienced cook. Apparently, the boy had been traveling across China for six months, and had been cooking his own food the entire time. After moving his stuff into Po's old room (and admiring the panda's action figure collection), he was ready to start waiting tables.

But even though he had applied for a waiting job, Mr. Ping had insisted that for now, he work mainly in the kitchen so the old goose could keep a close eye on him. Erdan knew Mr. Ping had a good reason not to trust wolves, after what Zhong and his pack had nearly did to his son, but there was one thing he didn't understand. As usual, the boy's curiosity got the best of him, and he found himself asking the goose what was on his mind. "Mr. Ping, why did you hire me?", Erdan asked.

Mr. Ping glanced at the boy, confused. "Why do you ask?", the old goose inquired.

"No offense sir, but it's obvious you don't trust me or Zhong. So why would you risk hiring me, just because Po thinks it's a good idea? You said it yourself, Po's not exactly the best judge of character", Erdan explained.

Mr. Ping sighed, and hung his head down a little. "You seem like a good kid, and I'd like to trust you. But after all the trouble wolves have caused my family, it's difficult. I'm still getting used Po being close to Zhong, and him trusting him so much. But I'm willing to give Po the benefit of the doubt about this because he's been right about some things before. And he was right about Zhong", Mr. Ping replied.

"What do you mean?", Erdan asked, confused.

Mr. Ping smiled ruefully. "When Po first returned from Gongmen City, he told me all about his adventures in the city, and I was horrified when I learned about what had happened to his birth parents. To be truthful, I was glad when Po told me that Shen and his army perished. After what they almost did to my son, I would never have felt safe again knowing they were still out there, waiting for a chance to hurt Po again. So when Zhong first arrived in the Valley a few weeks later, it was the worst day of my life. And I thought Po was completely out of his mind for actually believing him when he said he had changed. Po might have thought Zhong came for redemption, but I knew the only reason he had followed him back to the Valley was so he could kill him and avenge his army. I couldn't sleep at night, knowing my son was determined to help a monster. But no mattered how much I argued with him, Po refused to give up on Zhong", Mr. Ping explained.

Erdan watched as Mr. Ping's smile faded, and was replaced by a look of sadness, as if he was remembering something horrible. "I wanted to hate Zhong for even having the nerve to go near my son again after he what he did. But as much as I loathed him, a small part of me was grateful. Because if Zhong and his men hadn't attacked the panda village, then I would never have met Po, and I would never have raised my little boy. And how could I hate someone who had caused so much death and destruction, but also brought me the greatest joy of my life? I couldn't believe how selfish I was being", Mr. Ping continued, his voice disgusted.

"He's your son Mr. Ping, of course you were going to feel that way. Sometimes your opinions about your family doesn't have to make sense", Erdan reasoned, hoping he could somehow make the old goose feel better.

"I suppose. I stayed confused about Zhong for the longest time, not knowing whether to hate him or thank him. But then came the day the boars attacked. When we learned they were coming, the whole Valley was evacuated, in fear they would destroy the village. And of course, as the Dragon Warrior, Po had to stay behind to help fight them. When Po forced me to leave him behind, to let him face those monsters alone, it was the worst day I had ever had since he left for Gongmen City. The whole time the battle raged on, I had no way of knowing whether he was alive or dead. And to make matters worse, he told me Zhong was going to fight alongside him. He was actually crazy enough to trust the man who killed his parents to have his back in battle", Mr. Ping continued.

Erdan looked at the goose sympathetically. He had heard this story before, from Zhong himself of course. But when Mr. Ping told it from his point of view, it sounded so much sadder, so much more fearful and hopeless. To Po and Zhong, the battle with the boar gang had just been another day they defeated some bad guys. But Erdan realized that for innocent, helpless, bystanders like Mr. Ping, it had been their worst nightmare come true.

"By the end of the battle, Po and the Furious Five were defeated, and Zhong was the only man left standing. The fate of the entire Valley was in Zhong's hands. And there are so many ways that day could have went wrong", Mr. Ping said. Erdan raised his eyebrows, as Mr. Ping started laughing weirdly towards the end, though he guessed the old man had chosen to laugh so he wouldn't cry.

"The old Zhong would have just cut his losses and run. He'd have let everyone in the entire Valley die just to save his own tail. After all, he'd killed people before, why not get a little more blood on paws? From the minute Po told me he was going to fight, that's what I thought he was going to do. But I was wrong. Not only did he fight back against impossible odds, but he risked his life to save Po and the people of Valley. When I learned he had saved my son, he finally proved to me where his loyalty lies. And I admit, I still don't trust him completely, but I trust my son's judgment. Po was right about Zhong having changed, so if he thinks you're trustworthy, then I'm willing to give you a chance", Mr. Ping finished.

Erdan smiled. "Thanks mister, you won't regret this", Erdan promised.

"Hmm, we'll see. Now get back to chopping those carrots. Lunch hour will be here soon, and that's when things really start to get busy", Mr. Ping said, before walking off.

"Wait sir, where are you going? I'll need your help to cook the noodles", Erdan asked curiously.

"I'll be back soon, I just need to look for something", Mr. Ping said, though it was obvious he was hiding something.

Erdan shrugged, and went back to his chopping. However, he started to get worried when ten minutes passed, and Mr. Ping still hadn't returned yet. The wolf cub turned down the heat on the stove, and left to go find his boss. He started to search the hut, until he finally found the goose in Po's old room, staring at a picture of him and his son. It was from a few years ago, before Po had become the Dragon Warrior. He and the panda were happy and smiling, Po holding a pair of chopsticks in his hand, while his father wielded an familiar old spatula, the same one Erdan had saw him using that morning.

Mr. Ping stared at the old portrait, remembering the good old days he had spent with his foster child, before things started to become complicated. He had promised himself that he wouldn't get distracted, but his conversation with Erdan about Zhong had brought his thoughts back towards Po, and he started to miss his son again. They just never seemed to find enough time to spend together. And on the days Po did come to visit, it still wasn't the same as before. And it probably never would be again.

Erdan watched as Mr. Ping reached out and touched the picture, rubbing his hand across the canvas as if he actually touching his real son. Mr. Ping either didn't know Erdan was watching, or had simply chose to ignore him. Either way, Erdan couldn't help but feel bad for his bad for boss. Eventually, after watching the old goose for a few more minutes, Erdan felt the need to say something. "You miss him, don't you?", Erdan asked.

"Everyday", Mr. Ping replied, before turning around to face his new employee. "But you're just a kid, you wouldn't understand an old man like me", Mr. Ping mumbled, as he walked past the boy and back into the kitchen.

Erdan raised his eyebrow, and followed after the goose. "I think you're lonely. I think you've loved Po with every fiber of your being, for 30 years straight, and gave him everything he needed to have a good life. And ever since he was a kid, you've encouraged him to follow his dreams. But now you have to watch him risk his life every single day, and sometimes disappear for weeks at a time, just so he can protect the Valley of Peace. And instead of being worried about his safety, or scared like most people would be, he says he's just doing his job", Erdan guessed.

Mr. Ping stopped walking, and glanced back at Erdan. "How do you know all that?", he asked, surprised.

"Po didn't tell you earlier. I'm not just homeless, I'm an orphan, just like he is. And if anyone knows what's it like to be lonely, it's me", Erdan explained.

"_**The Doctor's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"Well, it's nice to know I've found a kindred spirit in a 14 year old boy", Mr. Ping said sarcastically.

"I'm serious. I know what's it like to worry about someone close to you. I used to share a hut with Zhong. And he would disappear a lot. He never told me where he was going, he just said he was doing work stuff. I wanted him to stay, so I could spend time with the closest thing I had to a dad, but when he actually was home, he was too tired to do anything but sleep. Every time he disappeared, he would be gone longer and longer. And every time he got back, he looked worse and worse", Erdan explained.

"I had no idea what he was doing, but I knew it had to be dangerous, especially with the war going on in the city. All I could do was sit at home and wait. He told me not to worry, but how I could not? Not knowing whether or not he'd ever come back, or if I'd be left waiting for the rest of my life. And every time he was out there, doing who knows what, I felt useless. Completely and utterly useless", Erdan continued, his voice trailing off at the end. Of course, he knew perfectly well what Zhong had been doing now, but he didn't like to think about stuff like that too much. In fact, he was beginning to wish he had just kept his big mouth shut and let Mr. Ping change the subject.

Erdan finally looked, to see Mr. Ping staring at him sympathetically. "Has anyone ever told you, you're very wise for your years?", the old goose asked.

Erdan cracked a smile, relieved the goose had decided to change the subject off of Zhong. "A few times, yeah. I've read a lot of Kung Fu stories", Erdan replied. "Now, I know that some of the circumstances are different, and Po isn't a mercenary for a sadistic warlord, but I'm guessing it's pretty much the same for you and him?", Erdan asked.

"You'd be guessing right. But it's not just Po's safety I'm worried about. Po is gone so much now. Fighting crime, learning kung fu, and having fun with his friends. He's a grown man now, and he's living his dream. But that's the problem. Po's all grown up now, and out of the house, so he doesn't need his old man anymore. Po is the only family I have, and I know every father has to let go of his son eventually. But on the days that he promises to visit, he sometimes forgets to come, and I'm left alone with nothing but my noodles to keep me company all day. And I know it sounds silly, but I'm afraid that someday he'll forget about me entirely", Mr. Ping said, a small tear forming under his eye. He never thought he'd find himself opening up to total stranger about his family problems, but now that Erdan had let the floodgates of misery open, there was no closing them.

Suddenly, the old goose felt Erdan put his giant paw on his shoulder. He had forgotten how fast wolves moved. "Hey now. That'll never happen. Po loves you, and he'd never forget about you. He'd fight off a whole army of rhinos if he thought you needed him", Erdan said reassuringly.

Mr. Ping smiled a little, and sniffled. "Yeah, he would, wouldn't he?", the goose said, his spirits lifting already. Having someone around to talk to really made a difference in fighting off his depression.

"Totally. And he wouldn't be the only one, I'd be having his back the whole time", Erdan said, grinning.

"Don't be ridiculous, you don't even know me", Mr. Ping argued.

"I'm serious Mr. P. Po isn't your only employee anymore. And I'm not trying to take your son's place or anything, but I'll be glad to keep you company on days he's not here. A kitchen can get pretty lonely with only one person in it", Erdan offered.

Mr. Ping's smile grew wider. "I was right before. You are a good kid", the goose said.

"Thanks. Coming from the Dragon Warrior's father- I mean, Po's dad, that means a lot", Erdan said warmly, correcting himself towards the middle.

"Now come on, we'd better get back before the carrot soup starts burning", Mr. Ping said, before hastily running past the wolf cub.

"Don't worry, I adjusted the flame before I left", Erdan said.

"For a newbie, that's good work. But I thought boys aren't supposed to know much cooking", Mr. Ping questioned.

"My mom used to teach me. It's kind of a long story", Erdan said, before returning to the stove and adjusting the flames again.

"Well, Po won't be back for hours, and we've still got plenty of things to cook until then. So I'd say we have plenty of time. I can tell you all my best noodle stories", Mr. Ping said excitedly.

"Ok, I guess we should start with yours first", Erdan said, feigning excitement. Still, it was Po's dad. And if faking a few smiles helped an old man fight off his loneliness, Erdan could sit through a boring story or two. And maybe even tell a few of his own.

_**Author's Note:**_

I wrote this chapter for three main reasons. One, we've gotten 13 chapters into this story, and I still hadn't found a way to introduce Mr. Ping. And the saddest part of that is that Po's dad is one of my favorite characters in the movie/TV series (he's greedy, bossy, sassy, and just plain annoying sometimes, but also kind and compassionate when it comes to helping his son. So what's not to like about a well-rounded character?). Two, In chapter 9, Zhong said that Erdan is a very kind and sympathetic kid, so I figured it was time we get to see Erdan's sympathy onscreen, by having him help Mr. Ping with his depression. And three, Erdan getting a job at the noodle shop sets up the events of the next chapter, which after a couple of helpful filler chapters, helps to get Erdan's main story arc moving again (which is his path to becoming a kung fu warrior).


	15. Chapter 15: The Goat Who Cried Wolf

_**Chapter 15: The Goat Who Cried Wolf.**_

A few days later, Erdan settled into his new, new life. Not long after receiving his new job, Erdan found out Zhong was right about the village having a lot of crime. Several stores had already been robbed that week, and Mr. Ping was glad he wasn't running the restaurant alone anymore. He felt a whole lot safer with a big, strong wolf cub guarding his business. And after earning the goose's trust, Erdan was finally permitted to wait on customers. Mr. Ping had even made him an apron custom built to the boy's size. Unfortunately, not everyone was as proud about his new uniform as Erdan was.

"Dude, you look ridiculous in that apron", Fang said, laughing.

"It's not that bad", Erdan mumbled, embarrassed.

"No, it's ridiculous. Completely and utterly ridiculous. You look just like a housewife", Fang teased.

"Hey, my boss makes me wear it. Besides, it's to keep the food from my staining my clothes. Would you rather I walked around with my shirt smelling like noodles all day?", Erdan shot back, annoyed.

"I'd rather smell like noodles than look like a girl any old day", Fang replied, laughing again.

Erdan sighed, it was pointless to try and argue with Fang. He wasn't even sure why he was still friends with the bunny. "Po, we've got another order of noodles!", Erdan shouted.

"Coming right up!", Po shouted from the kitchen.

It was Sunday, the day Po and the Furious Five had a day off from training. Sunday was also the day both Erdan and Mr. Ping had been waiting for all week. On some Sundays, Po and his friends liked to hang out at the noodle shop, and today was one of them. The gang was all here. Po, Zhong, Shu, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane, they were all relaxing on some of the shop's empty tables, waiting for the lunch hour to arrive.

Erdan glanced at the table where Zhong and Shu were sitting. Shu seemed to be enjoying herself, as she always did when she got to spend time with Po and the Five. But Zhong looked clearly uncomfortable, and was subconsciously tapping his fingers against the table out of boredom. Unlike his friends, Zhong was a doer, not a talker. So Erdan knew that sitting around and doing nothing but talking all day had to be boring Zhong to death. But he also knew his foster dad was willing to put up with his boredom, if it gave him a chance to see his son. After all, being a dad sometimes meant having to take one for the team.

Fang had also come to visit too, but Erdan swore that the only real reason why the rabbit was there was just so he could laugh at friend's apron. "Seriously dude, there oughta be law that says men can't wear those things", the rabbit chuckled.

"I think it's sweet Erdan knows how to cook. Women love a man with a feminine side", Viper said, deciding to join in the conversation.

"Trust me, more than women will be after him with that thing on. He's kinda sending out mixed signals to the guys too. OW!", Fang joked, before the rabbit screamed in pain, as Viper whacked him over the head with her tail.

From the kitchen, Po laughed out loud, until his father poked him in the ribs with his spatula. "Don't forget about the noodles! We mustn't let them burn!", Mr. Ping ordered. As he soon as he saw his son arrive, Mr. Ping had wasted no time in putting the giant panda to work. And now with both Po and Erdan helping him, running the noodle shop was a breeze.

Mr. Ping sighed impatiently. He had his newest employee working the tables, and his oldest and most loyal employee (who was finally back in the saddle for the day), was working nearby in the kitchen. So why, on today of all days, did it have to be a slow business day? It was almost noon, and they still had only two customers. The old goose just couldn't understand why customers were so hard to come by today. After all, it was a Sunday; families should have been pouring in by the dozens. Instead, the noodle shop was like a ghost town.

Finally, Mr. Ping's wish for more customers came true, when he saw an old male goat and his two teenage sons enter through the open gate. The man looked to be somewhere in his late 40s, while his kids looked to be between the age of 14 and 16, barely older than Erdan. They had visited the noodle shop before, but only once every blue moon. So rarely that Mr. Ping didn't even remember their names. For some reason, they had stopped coming entirely about six months ago, after Po and his friends returned from Gongmen City. So it was very surprising see them come in today.

"Erdan, there are customers coming! Go see what they want!", Mr. Ping shouted.

As the goose's voice echoed across the alley, everyone cringed in pain, except for Zhong and Shu, who remained only mildly interested.

"Yes sir!", Erdan nodded, before running to the front of the restaurant to greet the newcomers. A few minutes later, the boy returned to the kitchen with the order written down on a sheet of paper. "Okay Po, the man wants a bowl of plain noodles, medium sized. And his kids want the same, except with secret sauce on them", Erdan said.

"Aye, aye", Po said, before running towards the stove to stir the noodles again.

Zhong watched as the three animals ran around through the restaurant, waiting tables and throwing together orders. If it wasn't for their sense of teamwork, they'd never be able to keep it up, and the restaurant would be a total failure. And Erdan understood that just as well as he did. Wolves were born a pack instinct. Teamwork was a crucial way of life for them, and that was why he worked so well with Po and Mr. Ping.

"They're a good team, aren't they?", Shu asked, smiling.

"Yeah, I guess", Zhong replied. Normally, he would have put more thought into his answer, but the wolf was slightly distracted by something else happening nearby. He could hear the family across the alley talking amongst themselves, talking about them of all things. Normally, Zhong didn't like to be nosy, but with his supersensitive ears he couldn't help but overhear what the goats were saying.

"Can you believe it? These wolves are everywhere now. First one of them gets to train at the Jade Palace, then another one opens up a pottery shop, and now one of them's even working in a noodle shop", the oldest goat said, obviously the father.

"What are you trying to say dad?", one of the younger goats asked.

"I'm saying that they're building up their numbers, forming a new pack. They're moving into the valley, and infiltrating the entire system. Pretty soon they'll try to take it over for themselves, just like they did in Gongmen City", the older goat said.

As soon as he realized the goat was talking about him and three-wolf pack, Zhong couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of what the old goat was implying. The man had no idea how wrong he was.

Shu raised her eyebrow, curious. "What are you laughing at?", the she-wolf asked.

"Nothing", Zhong replied, stifling back his chuckles. However, the goat's tirade didn't stop there. Pretty soon, he stopped referring to Zhong's family as invaders, and started speaking about the one-eyed wolf alone. Zhong's grin disappeared, as the family of goats started to talk about him.

"You see that one over there? The one with only one eye? That's the one who led the invasion against Gongmen City last year. But instead punishing him for his crimes, our Dragon Warrior is actually foolish enough to trust his word. Kids, don't make the same mistakes the panda's making. Never trust a wolf, because their word means nothing", the old goat advised, pointing one of his hooves directly at the gray wolf sitting across the alleyway.

"How do you know dad?", another goat asked, embarrassed by his father's biased and all-too public opinions.

"If you give some wolves a little cash, they'll sell you their souls. I hear that's how Lord Shen got his palace guards onboard with his crazy scheme. It didn't have anything to do with loyalty or friendship like the legends say. They just didn't mind killing hundreds of people to make a quick buck. After all, wolves are already killers, why not make some money off of what they do best?", the old goat replied.

A few feet away, Zhong growled, and was about to get out of his seat, when Shu grabbed his paw and pulled him back down. "Zhong, don't. You're better than this", Shu advised.

"You heard what they said. He's not just insulting me, he's insulting my whole kind, my family, my pack! They're all dead now, and I won't let him spit on their memories!", Zhong growled.

"I know, and I understand that. But you're just gonna have to back down on this one. If you go over there a start a fight with a villager, you'll just be proving everything he says about you is true. You've worked too hard to build this new life for yourself Zhong, and I won't let you throw it all away just to try and prove something to some prejudiced jerk", Shu replied, her grip on her boyfriend's arm tightening.

Zhong growled at the goats again, who were still unaware of the danger they were in, before he sighed in defeat. Why did Shu always have to be right? "Fine", Zhong said, through clenched teeth, though the wolf had hardly calmed down yet. The wild dog sat back down in his seat, and stared daggers at the goat family, as Erdan returned with a few bowls of noodles.

"Here we are, one bowl of mild noodles for the man of the household, and two bowls of secret sauce noodles for his heirs. Not many people are brave enough to try our secret sauce, and it's not every day the kids are bolder than their dad, is it?", Erdan joked, grinning as he handed out the bowls.

Though the two goat teens both cracked a smile, their father's expression remained blank, as he took his bowl from Erdan's tray.

"If I may be so bold, what are your names?", Erdan asked curiously.

"I'm Ken", the younger goat said.

"I'm James, and that's our dad, Jimbo", the older goat said.

"Now you know why we just call him dad all the time", Ken added, laughing.

Erdan laughed a little at the teen's joke (to Jim's annoyance). It was always fun to meet a villager with a sense of humor. They were so rare and hard to find in such a stuffy and serious village. "Well, Ken, James, Jimbo…", Erdan said, stifling back another chuckle at the name 'Jimbo' (much to the goat's chagrin). "It was a pleasure serving you", Erdan said, speaking more like a professional waiter than an amateur. Erdan then patted each goat on the shoulder (including their clearly bitter father), before walking off towards the kitchen.

But before Erdan could return the tray, Jimbo stopped him. "Wait, hold it right there!", the old shouted, standing up from his seat.

Confused, Erdan turned around, to see the father goat angrily approach him, and poke the cub in the stomach with his finger. "You stole my wallet", Jim snarled.

"What? What are you talking about?", Erdan asked, confused.

"I had my wallet in my pocket when I came in here, and now it's gone. It's not on the floor, it's not on the table, and before you ask, it's not in my bowl of noodles. Which means that someone stole it!", Jim explained.

"But, but that doesn't mean it's me, I'm just the waiter. And besides, why would I want to steal your wallet? I already have a job, working here", Erdan asked, stuttering in desperation.

"Oh really? My wallet just happens to be stolen on the week Mr. Ping hires a new waiter. A waiter who's not only a wolf, but connected to that man, the biggest thief in all of China!", Jimbo shouted, pointing directly at Zhong again.

Before Jim could accuse his son again, Zhong angrily jumped out of his seat, and ran to Erdan's side. The gray wolf stood over the man, towering over the goat by several feet, and growled directly in his face. "The boy said he didn't steal from you. And unless you have any proof, I suggest you back off!", Zhong snarled, using every bit of his kung fu training to hold on to what little amount of self-control he had left.

Worried that her boyfriend might snap at any moment and completely slaughter the goat, Shu ran out of her seat too, determined to hold Zhong back and keep him from doing anything stupid. By now, the argument had gained the attention of everyone in the restaurant, including Po and the Furious Five. Po walked to Erdan's side for support, while Mr. Ping could only watch as his new employee was accused of petty thievery. As he much as he wanted to believe Erdan was innocent, he also knew the boy was the son of ex-con, so he didn't know what to believe.

Not wanting to be left out of the argument, Fang ran to Erdan's defense as well. "Zhong's right. Erdan would never steal anything, he's way too much of a wimp for that. I mean, just look at that apron he's wearing", Fang argued.

Erdan scowled down at his friend, not knowing whether to be happy Fang was defending him, or angry the bunny was still making him fun of him.

"Alright, I've had enough of this. Kenny, James, back me up here!", Jimbo shouted.

Quickly obeying their father, Ken and James ran to their dad's side. As much as they didn't want to believe a funny guy like Erdan could be criminal, Jimbo was still their father, and they trusted him more than some stranger they had just met.

"Back you up on what?", Po asked angrily. The panda didn't like where the argument where was going, and for a good reason.

"Boys, help me catch this thief and get the truth out of him", Jim ordered.

"Wait, what?!", Erdan asked alarmingly, his eyes widening out of fear.

"You wouldn't dare!", Zhong threatened, taking another step closer towards Jimbo and his sons. However, the old goat simply ignored him, and turned back to his boys.

"But dad, we're not vigilantes", Kenny argued, shocked by what their father was asking them to do.

"We can't let that wolf get away with this son. We have to remind him and all of his kind who this village really belongs to", Jimbo said, his voice fierce.

Kenny and James looked at their father, and then Erdan. Even though the wolf cub was twice their size, and could easily beat them in fight, he was still terrified of what was happening. Eventually, they realized that they had to obey their father's orders, no matter how insane they were.

Erdan watched, as the goat teens started to approach him. "Guys, don't do this", Erdan said.

"You shouldn't have stolen from our dad, man", James growled.

Po watched in horror as Jimbo and his boys started to approach Erdan, and then glanced at Zhong, who clearly on his last nerve. He had to stop this madness before Zhong did, before the wolf hurt someone. "Whoa, whoa, stop right there!", Po ordered, trying to push the goats back with his paws, to no avail.

"Go ahead and try it, Erdan and I can kick your butts!", Fang shouted, unfazed by his two larger opponents.

Erdan looked at the family of goats approaching him. He didn't know what to do. He knew he could fight them, and probably win easily, but whether or not he was strong enough to win a fight wasn't the problem. It went against his moral code to fight opponents who were smaller or weaker than him. Not to mention, if he got in a fight with some villagers, he'd probably be banned from the Valley for life. Worse of all, there was too many innocent bystanders nearby. If a fight started here, there was a chance he could hurt someone, including his best friend Fang. There was only one thing to do. He had to get away. He had to run.

"_**Corridors and Fire Escapes**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Before anyone or anything could make another move, Erdan reached down and grabbed Fang by the scruff of his neck. "Hey, what are you doing?", the rabbit boy asked angrily. Before Fang could protest anymore, Erdan threw him into his backpack as gently as he could, and spun around on his heels. Taking everyone by surprise, Erdan got down on all fours, ran out of the alleyway and sprinted into the open street, determined to get as far away from the restaurant as he could.

"Boys, after him!", Jimbo shouted, outraged. He wasn't going to let the little thief get away from him that easily.

Though his sons seemed to hesitate at first, they eventually obeyed their father's orders, and followed Erdan's trail. Determined to catch the wolf cub, and beat the truth out of him.

Zhong snarled, and grabbed Jimbo by his shirt collar. "Call them off, NOW!", the gray wolf ordered, fracturing a few of Jim's eardrums as he screamed in the goat's face.

"Sorry, but you're too late. They're halfway across the village by now, which means that whatever happens now is out of my hands", Jimbo replied, before shrugging at the wolf, out of pure insolence.

Enraged, Zhong spun the goat around, and slammed against the alley wall, causing him to scream out in pain. However, sympathy for another person's pain was an emotion Zhong just wasn't feeling that day. "Then you had better pray that they don't find him before we do", he snarled.

"Zhong, forget about him! We have to find Erdan!", Po shouted, before running out of the alley and following the teenage goats' tracks.

Zhong hesitated for a moment. As much as he wanted to make Jim pay for what he had done to his son, Erdan's safety was more important at the moment. Besides, he could always come back and beat the crap out of Jimbo later. Zhong released the goat from his grip (letting him fall on his back on the concrete street), and ran after Po on all fours.

Jimbo shook his head, hoping to shake off the pain, when he noticed several shadows casting over him. The old goat looked up nervously, to see the Furious Five glaring at him.

"How could you do that to Erdan? He's just a boy!", Tigress growled, outraged by the goat's cruelty.

"The little street urchin got what was coming to him", Jimbo said, unfazed by the female tiger's fury.

Tigress snarled, and was about to attack the goat like Zhong had, when someone screamed in fear. "My purse is gone!", a goose shouted from table eight.

Monkey quickly ran to her side to question the woman on what she saw. "You think someone stole it?", Monkey asked.

"Probably that waiter, he must be on some kind of stealing spree", the goose said angrily.

Monkey was about to reply, when he noticed something peculiar out of the corner of his eye. A middle-aged pig, hiding under tables and crawling across the restaurant floor. "I don't think so", Monkey whispered, grinning. The simian master then turned towards the rest of the Five. "I think we found our thief! Wait, where's Jimbo?", Monkey said proudly, before his face fell, as he noticed the old goat had disappeared.

Tigress, Mantis, Viper and Crane all looked around the restaurant, but the goat was nowhere to be seen. "He must have escaped to follow his sons, we have to go after him!", Tigress growled.

"Tigress, wait! If we really wanna help Erdan, there's something we've still gotta take care of here first", Monkey said, causing Tigress to tilt her head to side in confusion. "If we wanna clear Erdan's good name, we've gotta catch that pig!", Monkey said, before diving under one of the restaurant tables.

Though the rest of the Furious Five still weren't sure about Monkey's reasons for looking under tables, they trusted their friend's judgment, and decided to follow his lead. And as for Erdan's dilemma, it was all up to Po and Zhong to help him now.

**((()-()))**

"_**Hanging on the Tablaphone**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Fang groaned, as Erdan's backpack rustled back and forth on the preteen wolf's back. There was barely enough room for the rabbit to breathe inside the tiny pack, and Erdan's stuff kept poking him. "Why are we running? You can beat those guys with your eyes closed!", Fang asked, annoyed.

"I'm not gonna get in fight with some villagers!", Erdan replied, though the wolf cub still didn't slow his run.

"Well, where are we going?", Fang asked, moaning as Erdan's bow collided with his forehead.

"Somewhere they can't follow us!", Erdan explained, as he rounded another corner.

"But they can follow us anywhere", Fang argued, frustrated.

Eventually, Erdan had to stop running, just so he could catch his breath. He looked up, to see a bird landing on top of a nearby rooftop, which gave him an idea. The wolf cub's face lit up, and he opened his backpack so Fang could see what he was looking at too. "Maybe not everywhere", Erdan said.

A few seconds later, Kenny and James rounded the same corner, to find Erdan's tracks had stopped. "The tracks end here", Kenny said, confused.

"But they can't! It's not like he just disappeared into thin air!", his older brother, James, argued.

The two brothers waved their heads back and forth, looking at every inch of the street for a place where Erdan could be hiding. Finally, something caused Kenny to look up at the sky, and the teen goat's mouth fell open in shock. "Whoa…no way", he whispered.

"What, do you see him?", James asked. Kenny grabbed his brother by the chin, and pointed his head in the direction of the sky. Pretty soon, James' mouth was hanging wide open, just like his younger brother. "That's not possible", James said, in disbelief.

High above the village streets, Erdan was still running on all fours, determined to get away from his pursuers. Except this time, the preteen wolf was running on roof tops, jumping from hut to hut every few seconds, with Fang along for the ride. "Whoa, whoa, slow down, you might drop me!", Fang groaned.

"Aw man, how are we gonna catch him now?", Kenny groaned.

"We can't let dad down. He has to run out of roofs eventually. We'll just keep following him until he does. Now come on!", James said, shouting at the end as a sign for his brother to follow his lead. With that, the two goats ran down the street, following their target, who was running two stories above them.

Another few seconds later, Zhong and Po rounded to corner to see a peculiar sight - Erdan running on rooftops, with Kenny and James following close behind him (and below him). "Come on, we can cut them off at the next corner", Po said, beckoning for his friend to follow him, which he gladly did.

Above them, Fang continued to be thrown around inside Erdan's backpack, not only getting majorly dizzy, but bumping into all sorts of objects. To Fang's relief, the bumping finally stopped. But then, horror washed over him, when he realized that it shouldn't have stopped. "Why are we stopping?", the rabbit asked nervously.

"We've reached a dead end…literally", Erdan explained.

Fang peeked out the backpack, to see they had reached the end of another roof. Except, this time, there was a problem. There was another hut nearby, except it was 10 feet away, far too wide a gap for Erdan to leap. An older, much more experienced wolf like Zhong could probably make the jump, but not a cub like him. In fact, the only thing linking the two roofs was a clothesline, where the neighbors hung their laundry every morning. But there was something odd about this clothesline, something out of the ordinary. Instead of being tied to its two opposing poles, it was looped around them, forming a giant oval. "_Why would they want to make an oval?_", Erdan thought, confused.

"What do we do now?", Fang asked. However, his friend wasn't listening to him, he was too busy staring at the nearby clothesline, like it was the center of his world.

Eventually, the wolf cub turned to his confused friend, grinning triumphantly for some reason. "I think I know our next move", Erdan whispered, grinning.

"Dude, it's just a clothesline, how's that gonna help us?", Fang asked. Erdan had been talking in riddles for the past five minutes, and it was starting to get on Fang's nerves. And once again, instead of answering the rabbit boy's question, Erdan changed the subject for some reason.

"Fang, how long have you been living in this village?", Erdan asked curiously.

"I know you're a nosy guy Erdan, but this is the hardly the time to get to know each other! You should have done that when we first met!", Fang shouted, his frustration growing to aggravation.

"I know, but this is important. Please just answer the question", Erdan begged.

Fang frowned at his friend for a moment, before sighing. "I was born here, so I've been living in here in this town all my life", Fang replied.

"So you and your family were present the day Zhong and his pack attacked the Valley and stole all its metal last year?", Erdan asked.

"No, that was in the Musician's village. We just heard about it from the other villagers", Fang said.

"When the other villagers told your family about the robbery, did they tell you guys about how Zhong and his pack first arrived?", Erdan asked, continuing to pry his friend for information.

"They said they zip-lined in on some ropes. Look, we don't have time for twenty questions right now! We're don't have any time at all!", Fang shouted urgently, starting to grow impatient again.

"Thanks, that's all I need to know", Erdan grinned, before the wolf cub bent over, and started to unwrap his apron from around his waist.

"Need to know what?", Fang inquired.

"If all the legends about dad and his pack are true. The last thing we need is to risk our lives on some tall tale", Erdan explained, though the cub was still distracted untying his apron.

"Wait, what do you mean risk our _lives_?! What _are_ you doing?!", Fang demanded, obviously alarmed by what his buddy was saying.

"Don't you see Fang? This roof's a foot taller than the next one, which means the clothesline's slanted at a vertical angle. I imagine reaching your clothes when they're hung above the ground is nightmare, especially when they rope is tilted like this. That's why the neighbors have it looped around the poles. If they want to reach their laundry, all they have to do is pull on the wire, and it'll slide up or down to them, it depends on what roof they're standing on. And if my hunch is right, we can use my apron to slide all the way down to next roof", Erdan explained.

"_**Skateboard Chase**_" by Alan Silvestri begins.

"Are you crazy man?! It's called a clothesline for a reason! What about all the clothes?!", Fang demanded.

"The clothesline's empty today, which means we have a better chance of a nice, clean slide", Erdan said, as he walked to the very edge of the roof.

"Are _all_ you wolves psychos?!", Fang asked angrily.

Erdan thought for a moment, before turning his head to grin at the rabbit. "Yeah, we are. But only because people want to kill us all the time", Erdan replied, as he finally finished removing his apron.

"Are you really gonna do this? We could die!", Fang reasoned.

"Since when are you the voice of reason?", Erdan asked, as he reached up and placed his apron over the clothesline.

"Since I became best friends with a psychopath! I'm starting to get what hanging out with me must be like now", Fang replied, still alarmed by what they were about to do.

"Don't worry, I'm 99% sure this will work", Erdan said reassuringly.

"99%? What about the other 1%?", Fang demanded, though Erdan chose to ignore him this time.

"If dad can do this, so can we", the wolf cub said, speaking more to himself than to Fang. Erdan took a deep breath, sucked in chest, and prayed his knowledge about the laws of psychics was correct.

And then he jumped.

Both Erdan and Fang screamed at the top of their lungs, as the wolf and rabbit flew down the clothesline at high speeds, hanging onto the boy's apron for dear life. After about a millisecond, Erdan's eyes flew wide open, and the preteen realized his plan was working. They were sliding their way across the alley.

But there was one downside. The rough fabric of his apron was rubbing up against Erdan's hand, and it stung like hell. "_Now I know why dad always wears gloves. This zip-lining thing hurts!_", he thought, groaning mentally.

Far below them, Kenny and James heard the sound of someone screaming, and looked up to see an impossible sight.

"You've gotta be kidding me", James muttered in disbelief.

"They must be really desperate", Kenny said. Impressed, the goat wolf-whistled, earning himself a glare from his older brother.

On the other side of town, Po and Zhong watched with their mouths open, as the child prodigy soared through the air, his entire life depending on whether or not he could keep his weight balanced on a thin piece of wire. He was literally walking the line between life and death, talk about irony.

Po couldn't help but laugh at how good Erdan was. He knew Erdan was good at kung fu and self-discipline, but he didn't know he was that good. He was more than just a novice, he was like a student in training. Then again, he supposed it didn't take a master to do something as simple as zip-lining. "Dude, he looks just like you. Did you teach him that?", Po asked.

"No, I didn't even know he could do that", Zhong replied, the gray wolf's mouth still open.

High above them, Erdan and Fang continued to sail through the air. Truthfully, Erdan had only made it this far because of dumb luck, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. They were almost at the next roof, when he suddenly heard the sound of wire snapping. The wolf cub glanced back, to see the wire slowly breaking behind them. The boy groaned, as he realized he had made a mistake. A big mistake.

"What's happening?!", Fang asked, concerned.

"When I came up with this plan, I forgot something. This clothesline was built to hold up clothes, and I think we might be a bit heavier", Erdan said sheepishly.

"How could you forget that?! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!", Fang complained. And that was the last thing the rabbit boy managed to get out before the wire snapped, and he and his friend started to free fall. Erdan and Fang screamed again (for what seemed like the dozenth time that day), as they plunged downwards towards the concrete street, two stories below them.

Po and Zhong could only watch in horror as the two boys fell out of sky, and disappeared between some buildings, falling into alleyway between them. A loud thud was then heard a second later. At first, Po was too scared to move, until his eardrums was shattered by the sound of Zhong screaming. "ERDAN! Come on panda!", the gray wolf shouted, before running down the street, with his comrade right behind him.

However, Zhong's fears were completely unfounded, as Erdan and Fang's fall had only given them a few cuts and bruises, but besides that, nothing broken or life-threatening.

"I am never letting you make a plan, ever again!", Fang shouted, furious.

"Hey, I had to try", Erdan said, unfazed by his plan's failure. However, the two friends stopped arguing, when they realized they weren't alone in the alley anymore. After ten minutes of running, James and Kenny had finally caught up with them.

"Nowhere left to run now, wolf", James sneered.

"You picked the wrong family to mess with", Kenny said, smirking.

Fang gulped, but then held up his fists, determined to help his canine friend fight off the bullying brothers. "Put up your dukes", Fang said, trying his best to imitate Erdan's growl.

Erdan looked down at Fang, who was prepared to fight for his life, and growled out of anger. The madness had gone far enough. Erdan glared at the two approaching goats. "Enough! I tried to do you guys a favor. Do you even know why I ran away back there?!", Erdan asked angrily.

"Because you're a coward?", James taunted.

"Because you've got no spine?", Kenny added.

"No. It's because I didn't want to hurt you. But now you've forced my hand. I won't let you hurt my best friend", Erdan growled. But instead of attacking, like the two brothers had been expecting, Erdan's expression softened one last time. "I'm sorry for having to do this", the wolf cub said guiltily.

"What are you talking about? I don't you see you doing any-", Kenny taunted. However, the teenage goat never made it to the end of the sentence. Erdan leapt forward, threw his paws out, and tackled both goats at the same time. Before they could even try to struggle, Erdan slammed their heads against the street as gently as he could, knocking them both unconscious instantly.

Once the deed was done, the wolf cub stood up, and stared down at his would-be fighters. He pitied them. They weren't really bad guys, they were just followed their bigoted father's orders. In a way, they kind of reminded him of Zhong.

As if he had climbed right out of Erdan's memories, and made his way into reality, the one-eyed wolf in question ran down the street and wrapped his arms around his son. "Erdan, you're okay!", Zhong exclaimed, squeezing the boy as hard as he could to his chest for protection.

"Relax dad, me and Fang are okay", Erdan said reassuringly.

After taking a moment to calm himself down, Zhong put Erdan back down, and allowed Po to pat the heroic preteen on the head. The four animals then looked at the unconscious goats. "I didn't go looking for trouble, but I guess it found me", Erdan muttered, sighing.

"Well, Danny boy, that's the story of my life", Po said.

"BOYS!", someone shouted.

Po, Erdan, Zhong, and Fang all turned around at the same time, to Jimbo dash down to street, and run to his sons' side. Tears flowed down the old goat's face, as he rubbed his sons' foreheads. Eventually, his sadness was replaced by anger, and he turned to glare at Erdan. "You did this! YOU KILLED THEM!", Jimbo shouted.

Now it was Erdan's turn to be angry, the wolf cub growled at the man's outrageous lies. "I only knocked them out, any other wolf would have done far worse. And besides, it's your fault this happened. You're the one who sent your goon sons to attack me!", Erdan snarled, his patience with the bigoted man growing thin.

"Don't you try to put this off on me. You started this boy! You stole my wallet and caused all this to happen!", Jimbo argued.

"Erdan didn't steal anything", Tigress growled. Everyone looked up, to see Mr. Ping and the Furious Five had finally caught up with them. Apparently, the oldest and most experienced of Shifu's students had decided to join in the conversation.

"Then what happened to my wallet, huh, sweetheart?", Jimbo asked mockingly.

Monkey walked up, and threw a large, pink object on the ground, which Erdan quickly recognized as being a village pig. It was a man in his mid-30s, just a little bit older than Po, who was tied around the wrists and gagged at the mouth by an apron.

Erdan glanced up at Mr. Ping, to see the old goose smiling widely at him. "I provided the apron, for the right price", Mr. Ping explained.

"Yeah, Mr. Ping drives a hard bargain, but we needed something to tie the thief up until we could find you", Mantis added.

"What do you mean thief? The thief's standing right here", Jimbo said angrily.

Tigress grinned, slightly amused by the goat's stupidity. She then held up a wanted poster, and compared it to their prisoner. It was a perfect match. "Meet Harry, the 'wallet-wrangler'", Tigress said, mocking the thief's signature name. "He's wanted for stealing from stores all across China, but he sometimes likes to pick people's wallets as a pastime", she explained, disgusted. She then bent over, and removed the gag from the pig's mouth.

"Hey, I can only rob stores at night, so I have do something during the day", the pig said, shrugging.

"Eh, I can sort of understand that", Po said. Everyone turned to stare at the panda, and he quickly regretted saying anything. "But it's still wrong!", Po added awkwardly.

A few feet away, Jimbo looked at Harry, and then Erdan. It seemed he had made a costly error in judgment. The goat gulped, and started to back away, towards his sons, when he felt himself collide with something hard and solid. Jimbo looked up, to see Zhong grinning down at him, an evil look in the gray wolf's eye. It didn't take much to guess what the vengeful ex-general was thinking about, and what kind of cruel, sadistic punishment he had planned for his rival. But before Jimbo could try to run again, Zhong grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him into the air, so he could speak to the man face-to-face. He then slammed him into a nearby hut, pinning the man down.

"I told you to back off, but you wouldn't. And when you mess with the wolf, you get the claws!", Zhong snarled. By now, Zhong was past anger and had entered the realm of pure fury. He wanted to make Jimbo hurt. He wanted to make the man feel the pain he had felt when he thought Erdan was dead. The angry canine uncurled his fist, to reveal five razor-sharp claws lining each finger, which he was not doubt going to use to hurt Jimbo. After all, as a soldier, he was very experienced when it came to torture.

Po watched, as the sun glinted off Zhong's claws. "_Whoa, that looks so cool when it's not me on the other side of those claws_", Po thought, impressed. Eventually, he realized Zhong was really going to hurt the man, and decided to stop his friend before he did something stupid. "Whoa, calm down Zhong, it's all over now", Po reasoned.

However, Zhong continued to ignore the panda. The wolf raised his fist and threw it at the goat's face, who barely dodged the punch by moving his head to the side. Having missed Jimbo, Zhong's fist collided with the hut, shattering the bricks, and putting in a big, gaping hole in the wall.

Lying on the ground a few feet away, Kenny and James started to stir again, just in time to see their father being attacked by a giant wolf.

"Hey, put him down!", Kenny shouted, desperately kicking Zhong in the leg, in hopes the pain would cause the mammoth animal to release their father. Unfortunately, his punches didn't even make a dent in the wolf's fur.

"Dad!", James screamed, following his younger brother's lead.

"Boys, stay back!", Jimbo shouted, not wanting his sons to suffer the same fate he was about to.

As angry as Zhong was with the man (furious really), a small part of him admired the goat's nobility. He put his family's safety before his own, like any decent, self-respecting father would. That little act of selflessness was enough to calm some of Zhong's anger, and allow him to think rationally again.

"Dad, I'm fine. You don't have to do this. You can't just throw away your whole life", Erdan begged, his words echoing Shu's from before.

Zhong looked down at the boy, and his face softened a bit. Erdan always did bring out the best in him. And even though he really wanted to pound Jimbo's face in, he wasn't gonna give up his newfound sense of integrity for a scumbag like him. He wasn't going to disappoint his son.

The wolf turned back towards the scared goat he was holding in his paw, and growled again. "I'm going to let you go now, but before I do, I want you to listen to me closely. Don't you _ever_ go threaten my family again. If I see you or your boys go anywhere near Erdan and Fang, I will track you down and finish what I started. And since you know all about me and my kind, you know I would. Capiche?!", Zhong threatened.

Jimbo nodded, and with that last gesture of compliance, the ordeal was finally order. Zhong uncurled his fingers from around Jimbo's shirt, and let the old goat fall backwards onto the street. Once he got back on his feet, the man told his sons to follow him, and they ran away down the street (neither goat looking back as they ran).

Once they were gone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Come on, we'd better take this guy to the authorities, so they can take him to Chor-Gom", Tigress said, before slinging their porky prisoner over her shoulder, and walking off with him.

While they were walking, Zhong rubbed Erdan on the head. The boy chuckled, and looked up at his foster father. "What's this for?", he asked curiously.

"For not letting me kill that creep back there", Zhong replied, smiling again for the first time in over 15 minutes.

"Hey, someone had to stop you from doing something you'd regret", Erdan said, returning the smile. The cub then turned back towards his friend Fang, who was still a little shaken up by the ordeal. "So Fang, do you still think aprons are girly?", Erdan asked teasingly.

"Yes, they are. They're still the girliest things I've ever seen. But they make a good substitute for rope, and they're great at gagging people. I've gotta ask Shu for an apron sometime", Fang replied, thinking to himself towards the end.

"Someone better warn Shu, we don't need Fang running around the village willy-nilly, tying and gagging everyone he sees", Crane whispered into Viper's ear.

"Where is Shu anyway? I thought she'd be here", Po asked.

"We had a little agreement before we left. I'd help you and your friends catch the bad guy, if she held the down fort at the noodle shop while I was gone", Mr. Ping explained.

Po smirked. "You're always thinking, aren't you dad?", Po asked.

"How do you think I kept a business running this long?", Mr. Ping replied, grinning.

Erdan walked up to the goose, and held his head down in shame. "Well, I guess I'm fired now, aren't I?", Erdan asked sheepishly.

Mr. Ping raised his eyebrows, surprised by what the boy was asking. "Fired, whatever for?", Mr. Ping asked.

"This whole thing happened because people still don't trust wolves. And they might never trust them again. That's why there were so little customers this morning, because they were all too scared of me to come by. And after what happened today with Jimbo and his family, it just proves that you can't afford to keep someone like me on staff", Erdan explained.

"Are you kidding? I can't afford to let you go. You run a whole lot faster than Po, which means you can wait tables twice as fast. And besides, with fighting skills like yours, you can help me deal with some of the more unruly customers on the days Po's not here", Mr. Ping offered, grinning slyly.

"You know Mr. Ping, for a goose, you have the brain of a fox", Erdan noted.

"Flattery won't get you a raise, if that's what you're thinking", Mr. Ping said, as he walked past the boy. "But thank you", he added a few seconds later, causing Erdan a laugh a little at the goose's joke. He stood by his thoughts from the other day. You never knew what to expect when it came to Mr. Ping.

_**Author's Note:**_

Just like before, I wrote this chapter for several reasons. One, I love chase scenes, and I love writing chase scenes. I had a ton of fun writing the action sequences in chapter 5, so I was looking really forward to writing another chase. And two, I knew I wanted to put Erdan in a really, really bad situation where's he forced to run for his life and starting thinking like Zhong. After getting a glimpse of Erdan's skills in chapter 5, we finally get to see what he can really do. Because, throughout this entire story, we've been learning about how Erdan changed Zhong. So now, it's time to see how being around Zhong changed Erdan.

You have to remember that Erdan is now the son of soldier, and that's bound to have an effect on him. After living with a general for three months, Erdan's more reactive to danger now than he was when his parents were murdered, and springs into action a whole lot faster whenever he feels his friends are in danger. But he doesn't just use mindless, brute force like most of the wolves in "_**Kung Fu Panda 2**_" did. Instead he uses his brain a lot, often thinking his way out of bad situations. A lot of people think that all wolves know is fighting and brute strength when they're hunting, but that's not true. Not true at all. Wolves are very sly and cunning creatures (tricksters, if you will). That's part of what makes them such formidable predators. So I embodied that sneakier part of a wolf's instinct in Erdan's personality.

Up until now, Erdan's role in this story has been kinda small. He's basically been the sad orphan that everybody feels sorry for, but now he's starting to learn the full extent of his abilities which will of course put him on the path to being a hero (just like how Po went from being a fanboy to the Dragon Warrior). As for Erdan's dilemma, I think we've all been there at some point. When your friend wants you to stay and kick some guy's butt, and all you want to do is run for your life. This chapter also gave me a chance to bring back Zhong's angry side. The darker, more aggressive part of his personality that we haven't seen since chapter 8 (after all, I don't want to make Zhong too tame. It's important to remember he's still a morally ambiguous character, who's newfound sense of self control only goes so far). Of course, Zhong wouldn't have really killed that guy, but he wouldn't have let him go free unscathed either.

When it comes to music, I've always thought a nice bit diversity helps a film score from getting too boring, so I've been waiting a while to mix up the music in this story a bit. This chapter introduces "_**Corridors and Fire Escapes**_", the chase music that follows the Doctor and his sidekick Donna during series 4 of Doctor Who. And after fifteen chapters, Erdan's secondary theme is finally starting to be revealed. The first hints of "_**Back to the Future**_" can be heard in the track "_**Skateboard Chase**_". The reason I chose Alan Silvestri's "_**Back to the Future**_" to represent Erdan's new life (while "_**Melody**_ _**Pond**_" symbolizes his past) is because it's such a fun and adventurous suite of music, which fits his personality perfectly. In contrast to Zhong's theme ("_**The Doctor's Theme**_"), which is always so dark and mysterious. Plus, I do believe that Erdan is the Marty McFly of this story. Marty felt like a fish out water being an 80s teenager living in a 50s town, and Erdan feels out of place being the only wolf cub living in a town full of would-be prey. Maybe the circumstances aren't exactly the same, but the similarities are there.


	16. Chapter 16: Tremble For My Beloved

_**Author's Note:**_

After five months of waiting, Erdan's training montage is finally here. In this chapter, Po calls on some old friends to help train Erdan, and we find out some surprising secrets Shu, who up until now, has just been a casual observer in this story. Before we start, I'd like to thank Jo 'Po' Navark for reviewing. With that having been said, let's begin.

_**Chapter 16: Tremble for My Beloved.**_

Later that Saturday, the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five stood in the Hall of Warriors, watching a very uncomfortable boy endure an even more uncomfortable check-up. Erdan winced, as Master Shifu continued poking at the bruises on his arm. The boy had just stopped by to visit his friends, when the old master insisted that he have a look at his injuries (though Erdan suspected Zhong had put him up to it). After six long days, Erdan was relieved to find the purple bruises were finally disappearing.

"They look fine. They should be gone completely by next week", Shifu observed, after finally releasing Erdan's arm from his grip.

Standing only a few feet away, Po smirked. "You should have seen what he did to other guys. I'm telling you Shifu, you should have been there. Danny boy was running on rooftops and sliding down clotheslines. It was totally awesome! And the way he took down those crocs on Valentines Day, it's like he's a mini-ninja or something!", Po said excitedly.

"Calm down Po, it wasn't that exciting", Erdan grumbled, embarrassed. Though secretly, the boy couldn't believe any of this was happening. The Dragon Warrior, the greatest warrior in all of China, said he was awesome. That was like the biggest honor any warrior in training could ever receive. Still, Po was not just the Dragon Warrior, he was also his friend, so the boy decided to play it cool. "It's not like I'm a student here or anything. I'm just a guy who taught himself kung fu in his backyard", Erdan replied.

To Erdan's surprise, Po's grin grew exponentially wider, and he could tell the panda was excited something. "But what if you were?", Po asked.

"What if I were what?", Erdan asked, confused.

"A student. What if you trained here, at the Jade Palace with us?", Po reiterated.

Standing behind Po, the Furious Five gasped, as they realized what the panda had suggested. There hadn't been a new student in the palace since Zhong joined the team, especially not someone as young as Erdan.

With that, Erdan's 'indifferent' act disappeared into thin air, and the boy quickly ran up to the Dragon Warrior. "You mean, like a real student?", Erdan asked excitedly.

"You've got the skills kid. All you need is to learn how to control them", Po said.

Erdan stared at the Dragon Warrior, speechless. He didn't know what to say. There were no words to express how grateful the boy was, so instead, he decided to show the panda how he felt. Erdan ran up to Po, and hugged the giant panda around the stomach (or at least half of his waist anyway, since it was as far as the boy's paws could reach). "Thank you, thank you!", Erdan said.

Po chuckled, when the sound of a cane banging against the floor interrupted him. Po and Erdan turned around, to see Master Shifu staring at them with a very cross look on his face. "Absolutely not. Erdan cannot train here", Shifu said.

"Well, why not?", Po asked, confused.

"He's too young Po. The boy is barely older than 14, he's not ready to learn some advanced forms of kung fu yet", Shifu explained.

"He's older than Peng was when he trained at the palace", Po argued.

"And look what happened with Peng. Do you remember what you almost did panda? How the peace jubilee was almost ruined by your petty jealousy?", Shifu asked angrily.

To that, Po had no answer. The panda only held his head down in shame at the memory.

Erdan stared at the panda, confused. "Who's Peng?", the boy asked.

"It's a long story. To make it short, a kid came here with a dream of wanting to be a kung fu warrior. I offered for him to train here, and I almost ruined everything because I was afraid he might replace me as Dragon Warrior", Po explained, before turning towards Shifu. "But I promise I won't make the same mistake again", Po added.

Shifu looked at the panda, before sighing. "I'm sorry Po, but we just can't afford to take that chance. I already made a mistake like this once, and I'm not going to do it again", Shifu said, before walking off.

However, Po was determined to keep the conversation going. He quickly followed after the old master. "But I said I wouldn't get jealous. And besides, Erdan can't be any younger than Tigress was when you trained her. Or when Oogway first trained you", Po argued.

The sound of Shifu's cane banging against the floor stopped, and Po knew he had gained the old panda's attention. A few feet away, Erdan froze, along with everyone else in the Hall of Warriors. None of them could believe that Po had decided to bring up Oogway in the conversation.

"When you were a kid, kung fu was your whole world. It helped you find patience, self-control, discipline, and most importantly, it helped you find inner peace. All the things you probably wouldn't have found if you hadn't trained with Oogway", Po said.

Shifu turned around to stare at Po. No one at the palace liked to talk about Oogway that much, because of the sad memories it always brought back. So Po bringing up the subject surprised Shifu, and he didn't really understand where the panda was going with it.

"Master Oogway took a huge risk when he trained you Shifu. He didn't have to teach you his knowledge of kung fu, but he did it because he felt like you needed it. Just like how you took a chance when you trained Tigress, because you saw the same thing in her that Oogway saw in you. Sadness, loneliness, and despair. But what you really saw was potential. The chance for her to turn her life around and do some good in the world. Instead of rotting away in that orphanage, hated by everyone and everything. I'm right, aren't I?", Po asked.

Shifu hesitated for a moment, looking the panda right in the eye, before answering. "Yes", Shifu replied simply.

"All Erdan wants is the same thing you wanted, and what the Five wants, what I want. To help people. I know you don't like to trust people after what happened with Tai Lung, and I can understand that, but you have to learn to take a chance on someone again, like you did when you trained me, and Zhong. Erdan could be one of the greatest warriors of all time. He could save thousands of people, beat hundreds of bad guys, and bring honor back to his people. Who knows? Maybe someday he'll even be the Dragon Warrior when I'm gone. All you have do is to give him a chance, just one little chance, so he can do the same for his children someday, and teach a brand new generation", Po finished, before putting his massive paw on Shifu's shoulder.

Shifu looked at the panda, and then at Erdan, who still stood frozen in place, staring at the two masters anxiously. Shifu was still stunned by Po's words. He never knew the panda could be so wise, so deep. Especially for someone who like to use the word 'awesome' in every other sentence. And for a moment, Po had almost sounded like Oogway. After a few awkward seconds, Shifu's eyes blinked for the first time in several minutes, and Po knew the old panda had made his decision. "Fine, the boy can train here with other, if he agrees to it", Shifu decided.

Po grinned, and turned back towards Erdan, who was finally starting to regain feeling in his body. "Well Danny boy, what do you think? Do you think you're ready to run with the big boys of kung fu?", Po asked.

Erdan looked at the two pandas, and instead of excitement, Po could see conflict in the wolf's red eyes. As much as he wanted to leap at the chance to train at the Jade Palace, fighting crime alongside his idols, a former commitment was keeping him from doing so. Erdan had responsibilities now, and a promise that he absolutely had to keep. Finally, he came up with a compromise.

"I would love to. But on one condition. That my training here is only part time. I have a job in the village now, and I promised Mr. Ping that I would keep him company on the weekdays. As much as I'd like to train full time like you guys, I can't leave him alone all by himself", Erdan decided.

"You seem like a man of his word. That's quite an admirable trait", Shifu noted.

"Thank you master", Erdan said, before bowing in respect.

"So is that a yes?", Po asked giddily.

Erdan smiled. "Yes", the boy replied.

"Yeah! This is so cool!", Po shouted, like it was him that was going to be trained instead of Erdan.

"Alright, so where do we start?", Erdan asked, curious.

"Well, for obvious reasons, you're not ready yet for our usual methods of training. They're far too dangerous for a beginner. So we'll start with something simple, something you already know and advance from there", Shifu explained.

"Oh, how about archery? Erdan knows how to use a bow and arrow", Po suggested.

"There's just one problem with that panda, none of us are archers", Shifu reasoned.

The two masters looked past the Furious Five, and stared directly at Zhong, who only stared back confusedly. "What are you looking at me for?", the gray wolf asked confusedly.

"What about you Zhong? You had more than a few archers in your pack, maybe you know something", Po suggested.

"I was never interested in archery when I was training to be a palace guard. Besides, with only one eye, I'm not exactly the best guy to be trying to point a bow and arrow at someone", Zhong reasoned.

"Good point", Po agreed.

Zhong and Po glanced at Crane, and the bird stepped backwards, raising his wings into the air defensively. "Don't look at me. I only used one of those things once before, to train Zhong, remember?", Crane asked.

"Yeah, don't remind me", Zhong growled, as his thoughts went back to his ill-fated balance test five months earlier.

"Well, it was a fun idea while it lasted", Erdan sighed. It seemed the boy had got his hopes up for nothing. How could he become a student if he couldn't even find a teacher?

"Don't worry Danny, I know where we can find some more archers. And I think I know just the guy to help us out", Po said reassuringly.

"Who?", Erdan asked, curious.

"It's a surprise. Just make sure you come to the palace around this time tomorrow morning. Well maybe not this exact time, it'll take him a while to climb up all these stairs", Po rambled.

"Alright, I'll be here", Erdan promised, before the boy walked off.

Once Erdan was gone, Zhong and the Furious Five walked up to Po. "Do you really know a guy who can help?", Monkey asked, his voice skeptical.

"Yep. I met him over a game a Mah-Jong, and he helped me save me the Jade Palace. You guys wouldn't know about it, you weren't here", Po replied, grinning. Behind him, the Furious Five all shot over each other confused looks. They didn't know what their friend was talking about, but the panda obviously had something up his sleeve. Something good.

**((()-()))**

The next morning, Erdan waited anxiously for his panda friend to appear, along Master Shifu, Zhong, and the Furious Five. The impatient animals had been waiting in the Jade Palace's front yard for the past 15 minutes, and unsurprisingly, Po was late for Erdan's training session, along with the mysterious archer he had promised to bring.

"I knew he just made it up. That's why not he coming, because he couldn't find a teacher", Mantis grumbled.

"He'll be here, he promised he would", Erdan insisted. Po had never let him down before, and he was confident he wouldn't let him down now. Well, mostly confident. After all, he had only met the bear a few weeks ago.

"_**Tremble For My Beloved**_" by Collective Soul begins.

Finally, the awkward silence was broken by the sound of Crane shouting. "I see them! They're coming up the stairs…really slowly", Crane added, as an afterthought.

"They? Po's not only alone?", Mantis asked surprisingly.

"There's a goat and a pig with him, but I don't know who they are", Crane replied.

"Only one way to find out", Erdan said, before running to edge of the Jade Palace stairs, so he could greet the visitors when they arrived. Shifu, Zhong, and the Furious Five were not behind the boy.

A few seconds later, a very tired Po and his two companions reached the top of the stairs. Once he caught his breath, the panda turned to grin triumphantly at his friends. "Guys, I'd like you to meet Master Gow of the hundred stars, and Yeung, the musical archer. Two kung fu masters", Po introduced. The panda then watched in enjoyment, as his friends' eyes all widened in shock.

"Whoa", Crane whispered.

"No way", Viper said.

"Those guys were legends, like a million years ago", Mantis said, before being swatted upside the head by Viper's tail.

"How did you find these guys Po?", Monkey asked, curious.

"My dad sometimes plays Mah-Jong with them on weekends. I met them when you guys were at that kung fu convention two years ago", Po explained.

While Po was gloating to his friends, the Jade Palace's visitors decided to speak to the head master himself. "Master Shifu, it's been a long time", Master Gow stated.

"Thirty or forty years now?", Master Yeung asked.

"Thirty-five", Shifu replied, grinning.

"You guys know each other?", Monkey asked, curious.

"All kung fu masters know each other Monkey", Shifu replied.

"They last time they fought together was thirty-five years ago, when the Valley of Peace was being attacked by bison. They told me all about it during a game of Mah-Jong", Po explained, grinning.

Once the three old masters were done exchanging greetings, they turned their attention to their soon-to-be pupil, Erdan. "So, you are the wolf cub Po told us about?", Master Yeung asked.

"Yes master", Erdan replied, before bowing in respect.

Once Erdan was done, the goat and pig grinned. "Then let us begin", Master Yeung said, before walking off across the lawn.

Curious, Erdan followed the old pig, until he led them to a tree with a target painted on it, no doubt set up by Po and Shifu the day before. Erdan looked at Yeung, he didn't have a bow and arrow with him, only a large violin.

"I will go first, and then you will follow my lead", Master Yeung explained. Once Erdan nodded in agreement, the old pig turned his attention back to the target.

Erdan watched in confusion, as Yeung raised his violin, and aimed it's bow directly at the tree. As he slid it backwards, gaining as much friction as he could without breaking the violin's strings, Erdan realized why Master Yeung was called 'the musical archer'. His violin _was_ his weapon.

In a split second, the pig let the wooden bow slide between his fingers, and collide with the bark of the tree, striking the make-shift target directly in the center.

"Whoa", Erdan whispered, too stunned to speak any louder. Behind him, he could hear Po cheering at the top of his lungs, while the rest of the Furious Five cheered him on much more quietly.

However, Erdan's thoughts were taken off his friends, as he felt his mentor tugging on his sleeve. "It's your turn now son", Master Yeung said.

It took Erdan a moment, but he eventually realized the pig was right. He had had his turn, and now it was Erdan's turn to copy the master's movements. As he grabbed his bow and arrow from out of his backpack, Erdan tried not to think too much about how all his friends were watching at him, or how impossible it was to even come close to duplicating Master Yeung's actions. Instead, he focused on the bull's-eye. He made it the center of his world.

Once he was sure his aim was true, Erdan slid back his arrow, and released it from his paws. And from there, what happened next was out of his hands (no pun intended). A millisecond later, the arrow dove into the red-painted tree bark, landing only a fraction of an inch away from Yeung's arrow. Erdan lowered his bow, and laughed a little when he saw how close his arrow was. To be truthful, he hadn't expected the end result to be that good. That was the closest he had ever came to hitting the center of any target.

"Very good. That's impressive for a beginner. Now let's see how well you do hitting a moving target", Master Yeung said.

Acting on cue, Master Gow reached into her handbag, and extracted a pair of false teeth. Erdan watched in confusion, as she lifted her hand straight up, as if she was going to throw it into the air.

"What is she doing?", Erdan asked, confused.

"You'll see. Now get ready to start firing that bow", Master Yeung advised.

Erdan still wasn't sure what the old pig meant, but decided to follow his mentor's advice, and raised his bow in the same direction Master Gow was pointing. Mrs. Gow threw back her hand, slung it forward, and released the teeth from her hands, sending it flying high in the sky.

It was then that Erdan realized what he was supposed to be doing. The boy aimed the best he could, and fired his arrow into the sky, hoping that it didn't just fall down and poke someone in the eye. Another second later, the arrow returned and landed flat on the ground, jammed right in the middle of a tooth.

Erdan laughed in disbelief, as he realized he had just hit a moving target. He had just done the impossible, and still had hours to go until the lesson was over.

Behind him, he could hear his friends all laughing and cheering, while Master Yeung tugged on his sleeve again. "Good work, but let's see how you do at a further distance", the old pig decided.

**((()-()))**

The lesson was a complete success. Erdan had never tested his archery skills like that before, so he never knew he was capable of hitting a target at such a far away distance, let alone a moving target. And the things that he couldn't do, Master Yeung had helped him with. The old pig taught him to concentrate and really _feel_ the bow he grasped between his fingers before he released it, thus allowing him a much more accurate aim.

Eventually, the sun started to set, and the lesson was over, but Erdan promised to keep working on what he'd learned throughout the week. Before he left, Po also promised he would teach him something of his own creation the next time he visited. But when Erdan asked, Po only told him it was a surprise, again. "_What is with this guy and surprises? I'm not a little boy anymore_", Erdan thought grumpily, as he walked home that evening.

So when Erdan returned the next Saturday, he was surprised to find Po waiting for him in his old room. "What are we doing here panda?", Erdan asked, confused.

"We're here, because I'm gonna teach you something so bodaciously awesome, it'll blow your mind", Po replied, grinning anticipantly.

"Which is?", Erdan pried, growing impatient.

"I'm gonna teach you how to break-dance", Po replied.

"What? You called me here to teach me how to dance? Why would I want to learn that?", Erdan asked, annoyed.

"One, dancing comes with being a kung fu master. People ask you to dance at parties all the time, and you've gotta be prepared. Who knows when you'll need mad skills? And two, girls love a man who can get down. Now come on Danny, what have you got to lose?", Po cajoled.

Erdan looked at the panda, and then sighed. It was pointless to try and argue with Po. Even if he said no and left now, the Dragon Warrior would only keep pestering him about it all week until he at least tried it. "Fine", Erdan muttered.

"Great, we'll start with a head spin", Po said, before getting down on the floor. Erdan watched in amazement, as Po stood upside down, using only his head for support, and started spinning in a 360 circle. It was making the boy dizzy just to even look at him.

A few seconds later, Po got to his feet, albeit a bit motion-sick, and patted Erdan on the shoulder. "Your turn kid", Po said, his voice all shaky.

Erdan gulped, and got down on his hands and knees. He then imitated Po's head spin the best he could, groaning from the pins-and-needles feeling he got as the blood rushed to his head, before he finally toppled over onto his side. "Ugh, what am I doing wrong?", Erdan groaned. He couldn't understand how a five hundred pound panda could break-dance and not put a big hole in the floor, but a hundred pound wolf cub couldn't.

"The problem is that you're too tense. The whole point of breakdancing is to be loose, to feel your body move and bend to the beat of music. You're gonna have to loosen up if you wanna do this right", Po explained.

"Loosen up, right. I guess I can do that", Erdan mumbled, as the dizzy wolf cub got to his feet.

"There is no guessing when it comes to being loose. You're either are, or you're not. That's the other reason why I think this break-dancing thing might help you. You're such an uptight kid, especially now that you're working and training at the same time. You need to relax every once and a while. And if you can get loose when you're dancing, then you can cut loose in real life too. Who knows? Maybe being looser will help you with your kung fu", Po suggested.

"Alright panda, I get it. I'll try to relax", Erdan replied.

The two continued practicing the head spin over and over again for the next two hours. Fifty head spins and fifty face plants later, Erdan finally got it right. To the wolf cub's surprise, he found himself precariously perched on his head, staring upside down at Po in amazement. "How am I doing this?", Erdan asked, laughing.

"Simple kid. You were hard and tense before and your muscles were all tightened up, which threw you off balance. But now that you're loose, all your weight falls to your head", Po explained.

"So what you're saying is, that when I was tense before, I was top-heavy, and that's what kept throwing me off balance. But now that I've relinquished all my control over my muscles, my body weight is centered in my base, which is what's keeping me balanced?", Erdan asked.

"Er, yeah. Something like that. Now that we've got the head spin down, how about we try the hand stand?", Po suggested.

"Oh no Po, this is enough dancing for one day. We'll do the hand stand thing next week", Erdan said firmly, before getting to his feet and shaking his head, hoping to shake off the dizziness (to no avail).

"Alright, I'll see you next week…dawg", Po said grinned. Erdan frowned at him, and the panda laughed sheepishly. "Alright that was bad, I'll admit it", Po said, as an afterthought.

"Please don't do that again", Erdan said. He already had a headache, the last thing he needed was to hear some bad puns.

"Okay", Po mumbled.

**((()-()))**

And things continued in this pattern for the next three weeks. On Saturday, Erdan would learn from Po about how to break dance, and on Sunday, he would train with Master Yeung and Master Gow, honing his archery skills. Finally, Shifu decided it was time for Erdan to branch out with his kung fu training. Once he was sure Erdan was making progress with Master Yeung, Shifu announced that he would also be learning how to break bricks next week - with his bare hands. Something that seemed so impossibly that only masters could do it, but was actually fairly easy, and with a little practice even a novice like Erdan could grasp it.

But needless to say, Erdan was still worried. Even after Shifu assured him the lesson would not be hard to understand, he was still deathly afraid of it. The boy knew nothing about breaking bricks, and breaking his hand instead of the brick was a very real possibility. There was only one thing he could do to prepare for such a task. Punch as many hardwood trees as he could until he felt no pain at all, just like Tigress. The only difference was that Tigress had done it for twenty years, while he only had seven days. Which he meant he was gonna have to hit extra hard to compensate, no matter how much it hurt (and believe me, it hurt).

Shu and Shifu watched from a distance, as Erdan continually punched the trees in the Jade Palace's lawn, and then screamed in agony after each punch. Finally, Shu decided she couldn't watch Erdan mangle himself any longer, and turned to Master Shifu. "Master, I feel conflicted", she said.

"About what?", Master Shifu asked.

"About Erdan. I feel like I should help him somehow, but I don't know if I should", Shu replied.

"Why do you feel the need to help him?", Shifu asked.

Shu hesitated for a moment before speaking. She was about to confess something she had told nobody about for the past two months. Still, she trusted Master Shifu, and knew he was capable of keeping a secret. "Ever since the last Winter Feast, I've been having these dreams, about Erdan. Even before I met him, I saw visions of him traveling, and I wanted to help him, but I couldn't. Because it was only a dream. And when I first met him on Valentine's Day, it was like I had known him my whole life. Like he was my son, and I was his mother. I know that sounds crazy", Shu explained.

"Not at all. It is very possible for people to see things in their dreams. They can see spirits, visions of the future, precognitions, glimpses of people in pain. It's a big world out there Shu, where impossible things happen every day", Shifu replied.

Shu smiled, and continued with her story. "When we threw that party for him a few weeks ago, and he talked to me about his parents, I felt like I was finally helping him, like I was finally doing what I supposed to. I haven't had any dreams since he arrived, but it still feels like he needs my help with something. And I wish I could talk to him about it, but-", Shu continued, her voice trailing off.

"But you don't know how?", Shifu guessed.

"No. Even though I feel like I've known Erdan forever, he's only just met me last month. And he doesn't know me nearly as well as knows Zhong. I'm just the girl who dates his dad. How can I help?", Shu asked, sighing.

"Don't think of yourself like that Shu. You've obviously been having these dreams for a reason. Maybe they're a sign that you have a greater purpose in life. And that purpose is to help this boy. There are some things that Zhong can't do, things only a mother can", Shifu reasoned.

Shu thought about the old master's words for a moment, before standing up. "Thank you master", she said, bowing.

"You're welcome", Shifu replied, as he watched Shu walk off in Erdan's direction.

"_**She's Country**_" by Jason Aldean begins.

A few feet away, Erdan was about slam his paw into the tree for what seemed like the millionth time, when he felt someone grab his other hand. He looked up, to see Shu smiling down at him. "I'm afraid breaking your hand isn't going to help you break bricks. Let me show you", Shu said, before pulling on the boy's hand.

"How are you gonna help me?", Erdan asked, following close behind the she-wolf.

"You'll see soon enough", Shu said anticipantly.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, Shu and Erdan stood before a large stack of bricks. Erdan watched as Shu took a deep breath, raised her paw, and then brought it down against the brick pile as hard as she could. To the boy's surprise, the entire pile cracked down the middle, and shattered as it hit the ground.

"How did you do that?", Erdan asked.

"It's simple once you know what to do. It's not about how hard you hit them or how hard your hand is. It's about physics. You have to find the weakest part of the brick's structure, the center, and strike it there. From there, the force of the collision will go through the whole brick and break it from the inside out. But it won't just stop there. The pressure will keep going down, breaking brick after brick, until the whole pile's nothing but dust", Shu explained.

"You mean like when you line up a stack of dominos, and the force of just one domino falling is enough to set off a chain reaction that causes the whole line to fall?", Erdan asked.

"Exactly", Shu said, grinning. Erdan was apparently a fast learner, which was good. His fast-learning skills would suit him well in the future.

"How did you get so good at this? From what Zhong told me, I thought-", Erdan asked, before the boy closed his mouth at the end. His next statement would have not only been very rude, but would have probably got his foster father in hot water.

"Thought I was some helpless damsel in distress? That's just what I want him to think. Zhong's a protector, he always has been. He likes the idea of him watching over me and keeping me safe, so that's what I let him think he's doing", Shu explained.

"That's why you're not afraid to leave your doors unlocked at night?", Erdan asked.

"Mmm-hmm. When I was growing up, my village life was really boring, so I liked to study kung fu to pass the time. It was the only other thing that interested me besides playing Mah-Jong with my folks", Shu explained.

"Well, you're pretty good for someone who trained herself", Erdan whistled, obviously impressed.

"Thanks, the same goes for you", Shu said. "But, um, do you think you can keep what happened today between us? I'm not ready for Zhong to know I can take care of myself yet", Shu asked.

"Sure, it'll be our little secret", Erdan promised, before walking off. He couldn't wait to get home and try out Shu's technique. "I'll see you later…mom", Erdan added, as an afterthought.

Shu froze, as she realized what Erdan said. The she-wolf turned around, a wide smile on her face, but Erdan was already gone. "_Wow that kid's fast_", Shu thought, shaking her head.

**((()-()))**

After seven days of practicing, Sunday came around again, and the kung fu masters watched in amazement as Erdan split a whole stack of bricks in half with his bare paw.

Impressed, Zhong walked up, and gave his son a high five. "How did you learn that so fast? It took me two months to get that right", Zhong asked, curious.

"Oh, let's just say I found inspiration in an unlikely place", Erdan said, before winking at Shu, who slyly winked back.

"Excellent work. Erdan, you are one of the fastest learners I've seen in months, especially for someone your age. Which is why I think you're ready for the next step", Shifu announced.

"Which is?", Erdan asked excitedly.

"Tightrope walking", Shifu said.

Erdan's smile disappeared, and the wolf cub's expression froze. However, Shifu didn't notice, and continued on with his speech. "Get plenty of rest this week Erdan, you'll need it", Shifu said, before walking off.

"Wow, you get to practice tight-rope walking already. You're pretty lucky, I had to wait a whole year before I got to that", Po said, punching Erdan in the shoulder. However, the boy didn't respond. He didn't flinch when Po punched him, like he usually did. "Danny boy, are you okay? Danny?", Po asked, as he waved his paw in front of Erdan's face.

Deep down inside Erdan, in the furthest reaches of his brain, the wolf cub was screaming inside. His dream had come had just turned into a nightmare, with just two simple words: tightrope walking. He had faced down all sorts of things during his travels, but nothing scared him as much as what he was about to do next week. After everything he'd been through, his death was gonna at the hands of a tightrope.

_**Author's Note:**_

Ah, the traditional training montage/chapter. "_**In With The Old**_" was one of favorite episodes of "_**Legends of Awesomeness**_", and since Erdan is an archer it only made sense to bring these guys back as his teacher. We also learned some new things about Shu, though they've been foreshadowed for quite some time. Remember chapter 4, when Shu told Shifu that she could take care of herself? Well, she meant that literally. And she also said she'd fight off an army to save Erdan if that was ever necessary, that wasn't a figure of speech either. One last thing, Po has officially become the voice of reason in this story. He convinced Zhong to try and reconcile with his son, he talked his dad into giving Erdan a job, and now he's convinced Shifu to let Erdan give formal training a shot. How the heck did this happen? See you soon, The Cool Kat.


	17. Chapter 17: Erdan's Test

_**Author's Note:**_

Good news everyone, I'm back again, and with probably the longest chapter of any story I've written so far. I also have some big news for everyone reading this, but that can wait until the end of this chapter. First I'd like to thank Joe 'Po' Navark, Scruff the Rat, AniUniverse, Son of Wind, and Landofthefuture for reviewing while I've been gone. It's nice to know this story has been so well received by so many.

But most of all, I'd like to TheDrawerProductions, for writing the most detailed review I've received in months. I followed your advice on checking the other 16 chapters for typos and missed words, but the thing about the numbers will take a little longer. Believe it or not, this is actually my fifth time editing this story since February (you should have seen what it was like when I first posted it, you probably wouldn't have made any sense out of all the typos and missed words).

_**Chapter 17: Erdan's Test.**_

About a week later, Zhong rubbed the back of his neck, as the tired gray wolf stepped into his room. It was only 10:00 in the morning, and he had already went through a brutal sparring session with Tigress. Even though Po and his friends usually had a break from training on the weekends, Shifu had surprised them with a spontaneous training session that morning (much to his students' chagrin). Until it was the time for the next session, he would rest up in his room for while, and catch his breath. After all, whether Zhong liked to admit or not, the middle-aged soldier wasn't as young as he used to be.

But when Zhong opened the door, he was surprised to find his 14 year old son sitting on his mat, staring at the battered, crumpled up pieces of metal that were hanging on the wall. Even though it was broken down into multiple different pieces, Erdan knew exactly what he was looking at - Zhong's old armor, the uniform he had been wearing on the day Erdan first met him.

It took Zhong a moment to register the strangeness of what he was seeing, before he realized why Erdan was in his room. The wolf smiled, walked up to the boy, and placed his paw on his shoulder. "This is weird. Aren't I usually the one who comes to talk to you?", Zhong asked jokingly.

"There's a first time for everything", Erdan replied, though still not taking his eyes off Zhong's armor. He had never been in Zhong's room before, even during his week-long stay at the Jade Palace the month before. He had caught glimpses of it when he was going up and down the hallway, but that was all. So this experience, seeing how Zhong lived and what his closest material possessions were, it was all brand new to him. And what he found surprised him a little.

After a few more moments of awkward silence, Zhong decided to speak again. "So, is there reason you're crashing in my room, or did you just come here to admire the wall all day?", Zhong joked.

This time, Erdan laughed too and managed to pry his eyes away from Zhong's armor to grin at his father. It was funny how easily these conversations between him and his dad flowed now, considering how awkward and tense they used to be when they weren't speaking to each other. "Well, as much as I appreciate a well-built wall, I did come here to ask you something", Erdan replied.

"Okay, what is it?", Zhong asked, sitting next to the boy, like he usually did during their father-son conversations.

Erdan sighed, and took a deep breath, before confessing his fears. "Tonight I'm gonna walk on a tight-rope as my last big test before I move onto the next level of kung fu. And I'm worried that I might fall", Erdan explained.

Zhong raised his eyebrows, confused. "You're afraid of this? This cakewalk? I've seen you take down croc bandits and dive off buildings, and you're afraid of walking on a tight-rope?", Zhong asked, confused.

"Those times were different. I was running for my life then, not to mention Fang's life. I didn't have time to stop and think of the risks. But I've had all week to think about this. I'm gonna be walking on a thin little rope, ten feet above the air, just a few hours before sunset. And even though I know there'll be a net, and at least a dozen people waiting to catch me, I'm still terrified that I'll fall and break my neck", Erdan explained, his voice quivering out of fear.

Zhong stared at the boy sympathetically. He had rarely ever seen Erdan this scared of something before, and it be honest, it was quite unsettling.

"That's why I came to ask you this. Were you scared, the first time you trained with Po and the Five?", Erdan asked, before turning towards Zhong.

Zhong hesitated, before nodding. "Terrified actually. My first day in the palace wasn't exactly a happy one. And the welcome wasn't nearly as warm as yours. Not to mention I had to fight Tigress on my first day", Zhong replied.

Erdan's pricked up. His dad had told him this story before, but he hadn't really gone into that much detail. He was interested in finding out exactly how that first sparring practice had went down. "What happened?", Erdan asked.

Zhong sighed again, before laughing to himself, and turning to grin at Erdan. "Your dad got his butt kicked by a girl, that's what happened", Zhong joked ruefully.

**((()-()))**

_Five Months Earlier…_

Zhong leaned anxiously against the Jade Palace's wall, as Tigress gave him her best 'death stare'. The female master gritted her teeth, and Zhong felt his heart skip a few beats, as he remembered he would be going up against her in a fight in only a few minutes. And the worst part, almost everyone was against him. He could hear the Furious Five talking to each other right now, whispering about how they'd love to see the ex-con get skinned alive.

"I think the wolf will lose", Crane whispered.

"I don't know, I think he might have a shot", Po argued, trying to defend his new friend from his other friends' biased opinions.

"I'll bet five almond cookies that he loses", Mantis said, choosing to ignore the panda like he had never even spoken.

"Four", Monkey added.

"That's not enough", Mantis said.

"It is for me", Monkey said, grinning.

Mantis sneered at his stingy friend. "You're mean when it comes to your cookies", Mantis grumbled.

"Hey, I wouldn't need to conserve my snacks if certain friends wouldn't keep eating them", Monkey explained, before frowning at Po. The panda chuckled uncomfortably, before walking off to join Shifu.

Zhong growled a little under his breath, as he took him in his new 'teammates' gossip. "_Look at them all over there, waiting for me to lose. I'd bet they'd love to carry me out of here in a body bag, but I won't give them the satisfaction. I didn't come all this way for nothing _", Zhong thought angrily. The wolf then turned to scowl at Tigress, who at that very moment was cracking her knuckles.

"Prepare to lose", Tigress said, growling. The striped master wouldn't rest until Zhong paid for what he almost did to Po in Gongmen City.

Zhong only growled back defiantly. He would not allow to Tigress to see his fear. "Don't bet on it. I'm determined to prove you wrong", Zhong replied.

Both the tiger and the wolf turned their attention to Shifu, who had stepped into the center of the room. All it took was one hand motion from their teacher, and it'd be on. The room fell deathly silent, as Tigress and Zhong got into position, preparing themselves to strike each other whenever Shifu gave them the signal. Finally, the moment they had both been waiting for came, when Shifu snapped his fingers, the cracking sound echoing all across the room.

In that same instant, Tigress leapt into the air, and lunged at Zhong, hoping to put a quick end to the fight. Unfortunately for her, the wolf's reflexes were just as fast from years of battle, and reacted by springing up towards her only a fraction of a second later. The two swung their best their kicks at each other, and their feet met somewhere in the middle, resulting in them both landing hard on the floor. Tigress was back on her feet in an instant, and leapt onto Zhong's back, but the one-eyed wolf threw her before she could get a good grip on him.

Shifu watched in amazement, as Zhong dodged all of Tigress' punches. It was impossible for a novice like to Zhong to keep up with a pro like Tigress, but somehow it was happening before his very eyes. Maybe he had underestimated the wolf.

Meanwhile, Zhong flailed his arms around wildly, as Tigress pinned him against the floor. The tiger had him in a choke hold, and no matter how hard he tried to break free, the angry woman had a vice grip around his neck. Finally, Zhong realized that if he couldn't use his hands to escape, he'd just have to use his feet. Zhong raised up his foot as high as he could, and kicked Tigress in the ribcage, knocking the feline master off his chest long enough for him to get back to his feet. Tigress growled, and took a step towards Zhong, which the wolf gladly returned.

"Man, you just don't give up, do you?", Zhong asked, panting. Before he met Tigress, he had never seen someone so fierce in battle, so determined to see their enemy go down. She must really hate him.

"I'll never give up when it comes to sparring with you", Tigress growled, taking one last deep breath before she charged at Zhong again.

This time, Zhong was too tired to dodge the punch. Tigress hit him square in the jaw, causing him to land flat on his back again. Tigress grinned triumphantly, and stood over the exhausted wolf's body. "Give up wolf. You can't win this", she growled.

"Never", Zhong replied, before getting to his feet again. The wolf raised his paw, but before he could swing at Tigress, his opponent grabbed him by his hand. In the next second, Zhong felt his feet leave the ground, and his body collide with the Jade Palace floor. But before the pain could set in from the first impact, he was sent flying through the air again, and colliding with the floor for a second time. Tigress had him by the paw, and she was literally throwing him around like a rag doll.

Zhong knew he was too tired to try and muscle his way out of the situation, so he'd have to use his brain. The wolf retracted his claws from his fingertips, and dug them into Tigress' own paw as quickly as he could. The feline master yelled out in pain, and finally released Zhong from her grip, though it was hardly a victory. The wolf was now in so much pain he could barely stand, and Tigress still seemed to have an endless amount of stamina.

Zhong looked up just in time to see Tigress' paw collide with his chest, in the exact same spot where Shen had stabbed him the month before. Even though the torn flesh had had a whole month to heal, the wolf's skin was still very raw, so when Tigress touched it, it was like the wound was brand new. Zhong screamed in agony, as he flew backwards into the wall - a double whammy of pain.

However, Tigress took no notice to the wolf's pain. The sound of her enemy screaming was like music to the vengeful lady's ears. In her eyes, Zhong deserved everything he got for almost taking away the man she (not so secretly) loved. Tigress walked up, and kicked Zhong in the groin as hard as he could - the Achilles heel of every man ever created.

Zhong groaned, as a fire erupted through his midsection, spreading out all across the body, and rendering his motor skills effectively useless. The only reaction Zhong had to Tigress' attack was to cover his nuts with his paws, in the hopes it would somehow help the pain. No such luck. Even touching his throbbing crotch was enough to reignite the flame, like stirring the embers of a chimney fire.

Zhong collapsed to floor, and curled up in a fetal position, waiting for the pain to eventually die down. At that moment, he didn't care what Tigress would do to him next now that he'd let his guard down. He figured nothing could be worse than the pain he was already in.

He was wrong.

While Zhong was lying on the floor, twitching involuntarily, Tigress leaned over and grabbed the wolf's massive tail in her paws. She raised it up to her mouth, and bit down on it as hard as she could, her razor sharp fangs easily piercing the skin level. Zhong howled out in pain, and his tail thrashed around wildly in Tigress' mouth until she finally released it, choosing to let Zhong rub his sore tail in defeat. The match was obviously over.

Zhong groaned again, as the pain in his tail and crotch finally died down. He was beginning to wish he had just let Tigress beat him early on, rather than dragging out the match long and painfully. As a soldier, he was taught from a young age to never give up. But he wasn't soldier anymore, and a quick butt-kicking was far better than a long, dragged out one. After all, what was a little humiliation compared to being kicked in the nuts and bitten on the tail? "_Wow, I must really be messed up right now if that seems like a better alternative_", Zhong's mind noted subconsciously.

Finally, Zhong mustered up the strength to raise his head, and growl at his opponent. "That was so not fair! I thought you kung fu masters were supposed to be so honorable all the time!", Zhong snarled, his voice insolently mocking.

"That's what you get for everything you and your pack put us through in Gongmen City! You deserved every bit of it!", Tigress shouted, before lunging again.

But this time, the tiger was met with resistance. Tigress' assault on his nuts had made Zhong angry, and thus gave him the adrenaline rush he needed to get back on his feet again. Zhong grabbed Tigress' paw, and this time it was Zhong's turn to throw the tiger around, though he chose to fling her into the air rather than slam her into the floor. After all, he was only looking to make her quit, not kill her like she was trying to kill him.

She landed on her feet behind Zhong, and grabbed the wolf by the stomach. Zhong groaned, as the striped master picked him up, and slammed him into the floor again. However, Zhong responded by grabbing Tigress' vest, and pulling her down to the floor next to him.

Standing a few feet away, Shifu looked on in horror. At this point, neither opponent was even using kung fu even more. It looked more like a street fight than a martial arts match. In fact, it looked like Tigress was really trying to kill the wolf. He had to stop her before she crossed the line. "Enough, this match has gone far enough!", Shifu shouted.

After panting heavily for a few seconds, Zhong and Tigress stood up, and backed away from each other cautiously, neither one wanting to take their eyes off the other, even though they knew the match was over. Eventually, Zhong was the first one to crack a smile, grinning smugly at the master who had tried her best to beat him. "How do you like me now?", Zhong asked cockily, raising his paws into the air to prove his point.

"I still don't", Tigress replied coldly.

"That's alright with me", Zhong shrugged indifferently, though inside he still felt a small pang of regret about Tigress' words. Subconsciously, he rubbed his still-sore tail with his paws again. And when he was sure no one was looking, he slipped his paw into his shorts so he could rub his equally sore crotch. However, as soon as he heard the others coming, Zhong pulled his paw back out, and put on his best brave face.

Shifu walked up to the wolf, and tapped him with his cane. "Good work, your skills were very impressive. All you have to do is put them to good use, instead of trying to make people's lives miserable all the time", Shifu stated.

"Good use?", Zhong asked, confused.

"Yes, I am willing to teach you. But to be one of us, you must learn more than just sparring. Kung fu is not just about fighting after all", Shifu replied.

"What else is there to learn?", Zhong inquired, still confused.

"You must learn discipline and self-control. It won't be easy, but if the Dragon Warrior could learn it, so can you", Shifu said.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!", Po asked angrily.

Shifu ignored the panda, and turned back towards Zhong. "The decision is yours wolf. Like I said, I can teach you, but only if you're willing to let yourself open up to our ideals. What will it be?", Shifu asked.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, and looked at Po (who waved happily at him), before sighing. "I'll try my best. And I'll do anything you say", Zhong replied.

"Excellent. It's getting late, we should prepare ourselves for dinner", Shifu said, before turning and walking off. Following his lead, the Furious Five stepped out of the training hall, until Po, Zhong, and Tigress were the only ones who remained.

Zhong walked up to Tigress and tapped her on the shoulder. "What do you want?", she snapped.

"I just wanted to say…that was a good fight. I can't remember the last time I got my butt kicked by a tiger", Zhong said jokingly, a wide smile on the one-eyed wolf's face.

Tigress frowned, and simply removed Zhong's paw from her shoulder. However, Zhong's spirit refused to be broken. The wolf put his paw back out again, in hopes Tigress would give in and shake it. A handshake was a universal sign of peace, and getting one from Tigress would mean they could finally put their differences aside. However, Tigress only looked at the wolf's hand with an icy stare for a single second, before she turned and walked away.

Zhong stood in the same spot, crushed, until Po walked up and placed his large, furry paw on the wolf's shoulder. "Hey, don't feel too bad about that buddy. I'm sure they'll come along eventually", Po said reassuringly.

Zhong nodded, but deep down, he doubted the panda's words. How could the others forgive him, if he couldn't even forgive himself? A dilemma he would spend months trying to solve.

**((()-()))**

Zhong stopped talking, and glanced down at Erdan, to see his young son rolling on the floor, laughing. "And what, exactly, is so funny?", Zhong asked, confused and a little annoyed.

It took Erdan a moment to calm down, before his laughter slowed enough for him to respond. "It's just, you got kicked in the nuts", Erdan chuckled, before the boy started all-out laughing again.

In all his time he'd known Zhong, the middle-aged wolf had always been the biggest, baddest fighter of any group he belonged to. Whether he was the fearless commander of his pack, or the newest recruit of the Furious Five, Zhong was always one to play the tough guy. So for Erdan, it was hard to picture the big guy being taken down by something as simple as a groin kick. To put things in their simplest form, the idea of his dad getting his butt kicked by a girl was hilarious.

Zhong frowned, before a grin of his own appeared on his face. "I don't why you're laughing, the same thing happened to you. And I might have lost, but at least I was fighting a tiger. Those guys are psychos. But you got your butt kicked by a little, fluffy bunny. So if anyone should be laughing, it should be me", Zhong reminded him.

With that little reminder, Erdan stopped laughing, and his thoughts went back to day he first met Fang. The rabbit had just appeared out of the blue, and viciously attacked him like a rabid animal. "Fang jumped me because he was afraid I'd hurt his family. But why go after me and not you? After all, you're three times bigger than me, and I've never stolen anything", Erdan pondered, confused.

"Fang and I have known each other for a while now, and he trusts me. I saved his life a few times, and now he says he owes me a life-debt. I'm guessing that's why he went after you", Zhong replied.

"Well that sucks, I saved his life once and he never said anything to me about a life debt", Erdan grumbled. The boy frowned, as Zhong's grin grew wider. "All right, enough about all this life-debt stuff. What about the rest of your story? What was your second day of training like?", Erdan asked.

Zhong's grin faded, and the old wolf visibly winced as he thought back to his first official day of training. "Let's just say it was humbling…and painful", Zhong replied.

**((()-()))**

_Five Months Earlier…_

Only a day after his humiliating defeat at the hands of Tigress, Zhong, Po, and the Furious Five stood in the middle of the Jade Palace courtyard, waiting for Master Shifu to join them so they could start training. Po and the Furious Five shot more than a few glances at Zhong, anxiously eyeing their newest recruit. It wasn't long before whispers spread over the crowd, and it didn't take much to guess that Po and his friends were all speaking their opinions about how well Zhong would or wouldn't do.

After a few minutes, Shifu finally joined them in the front yard, and took his usual position in the center of the group. Zhong noticed a devious smirk on the old panda's face, and could have sworn he heard the elderly man chuckle before he spoke up. "Students, we're going to try something different today. I want all of you to spar with your newest teammate. Since Tigress sparred with him yesterday, she will be unable to today…which means the rest of you will fill her place by battling as hard as you can. This is just one of many ways we will determine if the wolf is worthy enough to join us", Shifu announced.

Zhong gulped. On one hand, the psycho cat who had tried to kill him the day before was finally out of the picture. But on the other hand, he had to go up against five other experienced kung fu masters - all of which proved they could beat him with their eyes closed numerous times before. That didn't exactly make him feel better. Still, he remembered his army training, and reminded himself that he couldn't let them know he was afraid. The one-eyed wolf cracked his neck to the side, and made a fist with his paws (though unseen to the others, his fist was still trembling with fear).

"Are you ready?", Shifu asked.

"Let's do this", Zhong replied, hoping his voice sounded as tough and intimidating as he had wanted it to be.

Shifu smiled, and stepped back from the wolf, allowing Zhong's first opponent to join him. Viper slithered up to Zhong, and chills went up Zhong's spine as he realized he would be fighting a snake first. Supposedly there was a thousand different ways a snake could kill someone - many of which didn't involve using their venom. That's how good they were.

"Alright then. Let's begin", Shifu said, before lifting his hand into the air.

"_**Falling Down**_" by Selena Gomez begins.

Tigress grinned with anticipation, as she saw the only other female master on the team lunge at Zhong, and swipe the wolf's feet with her tail. Thinking fast, Zhong flipped his body over in mid-air, so he'd land firmly on his feet on the ground. However, he had barely had enough time to steady himself before Viper attacked again, this time aiming for his arm instead of his feet.

A bizarre dance began to form. Each time Viper would move forward, Zhong would move back and dodge her attacks. And every time Viper would recoil her body for another attack, Zhong would move forward for an attack of his own. It went back and forth like this for several minutes, with neither opponent managing to get a good lick on the other. And after another few minutes, Po started to get dizzy just looking at the two.

The match was finally over when Zhong was pinned to the ground by Viper. The snake had somehow managed to stretch the length of her appendage-less body all over Zhong, disabling his arms, legs and tail so he'd have no way of escaping her death grip. If it had been a real fight with life and death stakes, he'd already be dead by now, and that worried Zhong. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this kung fu thing after all.

The wolf continued to struggle for another minute, before he got tired of Viper crushing his lungs, and let his thrashing body go limp. "Alright, alright, I yield", Zhong mumbled, sighing in defeat.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?", Viper asked, the snake's voice sincerely caring, before she unwrapped herself from around Zhong's chest.

As soon as she slithered away from him, Zhong took a deep breath and allowed a big gust of air to fill his tired lungs. He couldn't believe he had just been manhandled by a girl, again. Some fearsome warrior he was.

Zhong's ears pricked up, and the wolf glanced to the side, to see Tigress having a good laugh at his expense. The wolf growled, Po's crush was really starting to get on his nerves.

A few feet away, Viper smiled, as she watched the humiliated gray wolf get back to his feet. To be truthful, she didn't hate him as much as her teammates did, and she was really impressed by how easily he had dodged her attacks. But she didn't want her friends to know she was starting to like the wolf. After all, he was still the bad guy. Wasn't he?

A few minutes later, Zhong found himself facing his second opponent. And despite what he made have thought before, Mantis' small size didn't make him any less of fighter than Viper or Po.

Only a few seconds into the fight, Mantis appeared beneath Zhong's foot, and grabbed the wild dog's big toe. Zhong screamed, as Mantis threw him into the air, and spun him around in circles, the same way Tigress had the day before. The torture was finally over when Mantis allowed his microscopic hands to drop Zhong onto the ground, in exactly the same spot where they had started.

Zhong groaned, and rubbed his sore neck, before growling at Mantis. "How did you do that?", he asked.

"Simple. I used the same moves I used on your little gang against you. Boo-Yah!", Mantis replied smugly, before shouting triumphantly.

"You were trying to kill me!", Zhong growled, though despite his efforts to sound angry, his voice still came out a bit whiny.

"Oh quit complaining and suck it up already", Mantis replied, rolling his eyes.

After taking a moment to gather his emotions and control his temper, Zhong's angry expression finally disappeared, replacing by a look of pure dislike. "You're freaking mean", Zhong said, his voice almost childlike.

This comment seemed to set Mantis off. The little bug walked up to Zhong, and leapt onto his nose so they could talk face-to-face. Bug-to-wolf, if you will. "So were you, remember? You and your pack never showed us any mercy when you were trying to kill us! So why should we go easy on you?", Mantis reminded him.

Zhong opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it again as he realized Mantis was right. Everything the Furious Five had done to him over the past two days had been nothing compared to the heinous acts he and his blood brothers had done. So he really was in no position to try and complain about being treated unfairly.

Zhong sighed, as Mantis leapt off his nose, and waited for his third opponent to join him. Which turned out to be Crane.

Zhong watched in confusion, as Crane flew back and forth across the courtyard, bringing pots, pan, dishes, vases, bowls, and a bucket of water up to Zhong. Finally, the wolf had had enough. "What's all this?", Zhong asked, confused.

"Instead of fighting each other, I'm going to teach you all about balance. Now give me your hands", Crane explained.

Zhong was reluctant. This could just be a trick by Shifu and his students to get him to let his guard down. But eventually the wolf complied, and thrusts his paws out, allowing Crane to fill them up with dishes.

After a few more minutes, two big piles of dishes were precariously perched on the edge of the wolf's paws, and it was taking all of his concentration to keep from putting too much weight on one side. Not to mention Crane had put of bucket of water on his head.

"How is any of this helping me?", Zhong groaned, visibly struggling to keep himself focused.

"Balance is an important part of kung fu. Without it, neither me or my teammates would be able to pull off the amazing feats you see us doing everyday. If you wanna learn kung fu, you've gotta start with the fundamental basics", Crane explained.

"But why did you have to dump 200 pounds of junk on my arms?!", Zhong demanded, before groaning again, as his body unexpectedly lurched to the right. The wolf quickly corrected his stance, and kept the dishes from breaking, though he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

"Now you know what it's like carrying Po all the time. But seriously, let's see you try to walk with those in your arms and not break any", Crane replied, grinning.

"You're can't be serious", Zhong growled angrily.

"I thought I already said I serious?", Crane replied.

Zhong growled again, this time angered by the bird's sarcasm, before he took one step forward, followed by another, much more painful, step. Crane was right, it was just like holding up Po in his arms. He could practically feel the panda's weight crushing his bones and dragging him down towards the Earth. Gravity wasn't his friend that day. But eventually, it started to get better once he started to get use to the weight. Pretty soon, he was only a few feet away from Crane. "_I'm home free_", Zhong thought happily.

And then an arrow flew past his head, colliding into a nearby tree.

Zhong gasped, and turned to see Crane holding up a bow and arrow in his talons. "Are you crazy dude?! ARROWS?!", he shouted, his voice a mixture of anger and disbelief.

"Don't worry, this is my first time using one of these things I my life, so I really have no idea what I'm doing. That one that almost hit you was just a lucky shot", Crane said reassuringly. But unfortunately, the bird's comforting words didn't make Zhong feel any better.

Needless to say, holding up 200 pounds of weight was impossible enough, but doing it while dodging arrows was like to trying to climb Mount Everest in a day. It just couldn't be done, no matter how skillful and experienced you were. In less than minute, half a dozen dishes and vases laid broken on the ground, and Zhong looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.

Crane smiled, impressed. Even though Zhong had broke a lot of dishes, the bucket of water on his head had survived the whole trip without spilling one drop. Crane watched as Zhong placed the breakable items on the ground as quick as he could, and then curled up into a ball to rest his tortured arms. "How did I do?", he panted.

"Well, you broke a lot of things. But the water still survived. So I'd say you have…very little balance, but still some balance", Crane said, grinning.

"Good enough for me", Zhong replied, before cracking a smile of his own. It wasn't exactly a victory, but at least it wasn't a downright failure like the other tests.

Zhong's fourth opponent was Monkey, Po's simian friend. And unfortunately for Zhong, he was still exhausted from Crane's little balancing test, which left him with little to no energy to defend himself from Monkey's stick attack.

The monkey master moved fast, leaping up, over, down, and around the wolf before Zhong could even have time to throw a punch. Zhong screamed out in pain, as Monkey slammed him in the back with his bamboo stick. He got back up, determined to make the monkey pay for his sneak attack, before he was suddenly clobbered over the head, knocking him down again.

The wolf looked up, to see Monkey standing over his body, still wielding his bamboo stick with a look of pure satisfaction on his face. "Alright, alright, I yield again", Zhong sighed, deciding it was best to quit while he was behind.

"Uh-uh, you're not giving up that easy. We're not stopping until you learn how to use one of these", Monkey replied, his grin growing wider, before he handed Zhong a second stick.

Zhong hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out the monkey's game, before he frowned. "Now that it's a fair fight, you're gonna attack even harder now, aren't you?", he asked, as he gripped the thin bamboo frame in his paws.

"Yep", Monkey replied.

And so the battle commenced once again. It took Zhong a while before he started getting the hang of using something as simple as a stick for a weapon. He was much more used to using his hammer as a way vanquishing his enemies, and it took him a long time to realize the differences in the two weapons. While his hammer was for more aggressive attacks (like say clobbering someone in the face), Monkey's bamboo stick was for more defensive attacks.

Zhong realized that the clever little langur often took notice of his opponent's body language, and used it as a way to anticipate their next move. He then used his stick to block his enemy's attacks, and return them almost instantly. Since he was so short, Monkey also used it as a handstand sometimes so he could attack a foe from above, though Zhong's massive weight made that option impossible for the wolf.

For the first time since his training began, Zhong's match ended in a draw, as he and Monkey clashed their sticks for the final time. Shifu raised up his hand, as a sign the match was over, and Zhong grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "So, how'd I do, monkey boy?", Zhong asked, leaning almost cockily against his stick.

Monkey seemed surprised by the wolf's progress, before he smiled a little. "You did good, for a newbie", Monkey replied. But almost immediately, Monkey grabbed his stick and used it to knock Zhong's stick out from under him. In less than a second, gravity took it's hold on the wolf, and Zhong fell on his side on the ground. "But you still have to learn to expect the unexpected", Monkey added, laughing as Zhong angrily got back to his feet, the wolf's pride hurt once again.

At last, Zhong faced off with his final opponent - Po. Though most people would take the fighting skills of a panda for a joke, Zhong had already been beaten by Po at least three times before when he was working for Shen, and he knew how powerful the bear's kung fu was. To be truthful, Po still scared him the most of all, but he couldn't let him know that. The panda would never let him live it down. So instead, Zhong swallowed up his fear, and looked his friend straight in the eye, as Shifu signaled for the match to begin.

The panda moved impossibly fast, dodging Zhong's punches and kicks just as easily as his teammates had, even though he weighed hundreds of pounds. But Zhong was fast too. As soon as he saw Po coming with a roundhouse kick, the wolf leapt up into the air, and landed on all four paws. Po wolf-whistled, obviously impressed, and Zhong grinned a little. "I can still use the same moves I used on you before…only for the right purposes this time", Zhong added as an afterthought.

Po shrugged. "That's fine with me", the panda replied, before charging again.

Shifu and the Furious Five watched curiously, as Po and his new friend mimicked their fights from the Musician's village and Gongmen City square.

Towards the end, Po leapt into the air, and Zhong realized the panda was going to try and body slam him again, just like he did before. Having been on the receiving end of Po's body slams, Zhong knew just how painful they were and just how heavy the panda's butt was.

"Not this time panda!", he shouted, reacting quickly. The wolf leapt into the air, and kicked Po square in the stomach, sending the chubby panda flying to the side. Po's body weight broke his fall, but the impact of him hitting the ground rocked the Jade Palace ever so slightly.

Po stood up (while panting rapidly), and looked at Zhong, to see the wolf was just as tired as he was. "You're a fast learner", Po noted. No one had ever stopped his body slams like that before, no one had ever even thought of doing it. So for a newbie like Zhong to get the best of him that easily was surprising.

"I learned from the best. Your friends are a whole lot better at this than you are, so I guess we're both lucky", Zhong replied, grinning.

Po frowned at the wolf's joke, before cracking a smile of his own. He walked up to Zhong, and instead of attacking him, the panda congratulated him by high-fiving him - like he was his best friend instead of his enemy. But only a second after doing so, Po looked all around him, to Zhong's confusion. "Hopefully, no one saw that", Po whispered.

Po walked off to join his friends, and Zhong was about to follow him, when Shifu held up his hand to stop him. "The training session isn't over yet. You've still got one last opponent left", Shifu announced.

"And that would be?", Zhong asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Me…if you dare", Shifu explained, before holding out his hand, and stepping into his best kung fu stance.

Zhong raised his eyebrows again in disbelief, before grinning. "Bring it on old man", he challenged.

Shifu and Zhong charged at each other - each one an experienced fighter, each one a force to be reckoned with. The two exchanged punches and kicks, Shifu moving impossibly fast for a man of his age, and Zhong somehow managing to keep up with the old master. Pretty soon, the two were both completely exhausted, but Zhong much more than Shifu. After all, Zhong had already fought and been beaten by five other opponents that day. He doubted he would stand a chance against Shifu if he was brimming with energy, let alone running on fumes. Still, Zhong put on his signature brave face, and stared the old panda down.

"Are you ready to give up?", Shifu asked.

"I…never…give…up", Zhong declared, in-between pants.

"Really dude? Cause you gave up to Viper only a few hours ago. And then you tried to give up to Monkey too", Po reminded him, though both Zhong and Shifu chose to ignore the panda and continue focusing on each other.

"Good, neither do I", Shifu said.

The match continued on for several minutes, before it finally ended with Shifu landing on Zhong's paws. With his tank on empty, Zhong collapsed on the ground, and lifted his head in a sign of defeat. "How did you do all that", Zhong asked, confused, as Shifu walked up to him.

"Years of practice", Shifu explained.

Zhong chuckled, and got to his feet again. "I don't think I've ever had my butt taken down by someone like you before", Zhong said, wobbling a little as he walked up to Shifu.

"Don't get used to it", Shifu replied curtly.

"And you know what, I think I needed that", Zhong mused.

"That's a good thing to hear", Shifu said, before walking off to rejoin his students. "Okay pupils, training is over for now, it's time for a break", Shifu announced.

"_Thank god_", Zhong thought, before staggering towards a nearby tree, and collapsing near it's base. He didn't care that it was a tree he was leaning against and not a bed. He felt like he needed to rest soon, or he would die.

As he closed his eyes, Zhong briefly took in the fact he had never worked so hard in all his life, not even during his days as a soldier. He and his men were used to picking on smaller, weaker opponents all the time. So facing off against creatures that were just as big as him, and even more experienced, was brand new to Zhong. That was the last thought that appeared in Zhong's head, before his mind drifted off into a sea of unconsciousness.

"He looks tired", Monkey noted, as the sound of Zhong snoring echoed across the courtyard.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he wakes up with sweat on his face", Shifu replied, chuckling a little.

**((()-()))**

"Wow", Erdan whispered, surprised.

"Yeah. You think walking on a tightrope and breaking a few bricks is hard? Try fighting seven kung fu masters in one day. You've got it easy kid, no one's trying to kill you", Zhong replied. Even though it had been five to six months ago now, he could still remember the pain and exhaustion like it was yesterday.

"So when did you start to get better?", Erdan asked.

"Well, for the longest time, everyone doubted me, so I guess I started to doubt myself. So it wasn't until I gained Tigress' trust that I started to really go at it. I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else once and for all that I could do it", Zhong explained.

**((()-()))**

_Five Months Earlier…_

"_**Tell Me Something I Don't Know**_" by Selena Gomez begins.

Zhong stared at the Jade Palace's training dummy. It was the middle of the night, and the training hall was abandoned, all except for him. He had struggled all week to keep up with his teammates, to prove his worth. But no more. He wasn't going to leave the training hall until he got the hang of all these exercises, and he didn't care how long it took. He had meditated, he'd done push-ups, and he'd done pull-ups, so he was done warming up.

Zhong took a deep breath, and kicked the imaginary adversary as hard as he could. The force of Zhong's kick caused it to lurch backwards for a moment, before it swung back, and hit the wolf square in the chest. Zhong groaned, and rubbed his sore spot, before growling in determination. Brute force alone wouldn't be enough to solve the problem. Then again, it rarely ever was.

Zhong kicked the dummy again, this time with less force, and observed how the dummy reacted to the impact. The laws of psychics stated that 'with every action, there is always equal and opposite reaction'. It was the same with a pendulum being suspended in air. Every time someone pushed it forward, gravity always made it swing back a few seconds later. And if Zhong could crack the pattern, he could defeat the dummy.

Zhong kicked the dummy again, but this time he dodged out of the way only a few seconds later. The large sack just barely avoided hitting him, and Zhong made his move. He kicked the dummy as hard as he could, sending it flying off the ground, and into a nearby wall. The extra momentum, combined with the momentum from the original attack was all the sack needed to be thrown off balance. It was just like fighting a real opponent. You had to constantly be on defense as well as offense, while at the same time, waiting for the right time to strike your opponent. Zhong grinned, as he saw the sack collapse lifelessly onto the floor. "_Alright, what's next?_", he thought anticipantly.

A few hours later, Zhong and Po faced each other as teammates for the second time that week. But this time, Zhong was certain things would go a bit differently.

As usual, Po and Zhong charged at each other. But this time, Zhong was ready for the panda. The wolf leapt into the air, and landed on top of Po's head. Shocked and disoriented, Po swatted the wolf wildly with his hands until Zhong leapt back onto the floor. The panda used his signature move on him - the belly-shove - but Zhong managed to stick the landing by bouncing off the walls.

The Furious Five watched in amazement, as their newest recruit gave Po a run for his money. "I think I'm starting to like this guy", Mantis whispered into Monkey's ear.

"Me too", Monkey replied, grinning.

"Same here", Tigress added simply.

The match was finally over when Zhong managed to pin Po on the floor. The wolf stood over Po's body, grinning triumphantly. "Who's the wolf?", he asked, before extending his paw to help his teammate.

Po grinned. "You are. But I'm still the top bear around these parts, and don't you forget it", Po replied jokingly, as the panda got to his feet.

"Excellent work my students", Shifu congratulated, joining his pupils in the ring.

"Thanks master", Po and Zhong said simultaneously.

"You are improving yourself, Master Zhong", Shifu noted, smiling.

Zhong's single eye widened in shock, as the wolf realized Shifu had addressed him as a master for the first time. Calling a student 'master' was an enormous sign of respect. He knew instantly how to respond. Zhong bent over to bow to Shifu, before standing up again. "Thank you…master", Zhong replied.

**((()-()))**

"Wow…again", Erdan whispered.

"Yeah. That was one heck of a month. The point is that training sucks the first time you do it. And just like everything in life, it's always scary at first, even to grown men like me. But you have to keep at it and not give up. Sometimes you've just gotta face your fears head on and hope for the best. And if you succeed, training doesn't suck so much anymore", Zhong replied.

Erdan grinned. He couldn't believe this was the same goofy, awkward same guy from the flashback. He had changed so much since then. He still acted like an immature 10 year old every now and again (much like Po), but beneath all that was very old and wise wolf that Erdan could always depend on for advice. And if Zhong could face his fears, so he could he. After all, walking on a tightrope couldn't be any worse than being mauled by a crazed tiger. "_I still can't believe those two are friends now_", Erdan thought, grinning. "Thanks dad", Erdan said, before standing up.

"What are dads for?", Zhong replied, mimicking Erdan's words from the month before, as his son started walking towards the door.

But as he was leaving, Zhong's old armor came into Erdan's line of vision, and the wolf cub stopped in his tracks. Zhong had come so far. Made so much progress in only half a year. But yet, there was still something holding him back. There was still one reminder of his past that haunted the wolf every time he looked at it. And Erdan couldn't understand why he would still keep it around if he was trying so hard to move on. "Dad, why is your old uniform still here?", Erdan asked, confused.

Zhong hesitated. This was a touchy subject for him, something he didn't usually like to discuss with other people. Mainly because he didn't really know the answer himself. But he figured that if anyone would understand, it would be Erdan. "I keep it here to remind myself of what I used to be. So that someday, if ever I start to drift off the path of redemption, it'll be here to remind me of the killer I am and put me back on the right track", Zhong explained.

Erdan raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Dad, do you really think you could ever go back to being the man… the monster you were before? Do you really think that you need to keep reminding yourself of your past sins just so you won't make the same mistakes again? You're stronger than that", Erdan argued, walking back towards his father's side.

Zhong scoffed. "You give me too much credit kid. You don't what I used to be", Zhong replied, unfazed by the boy's comforting words.

"Yes I do. And I know what you are now. You've managed to turn your whole life around, and start using for skills for good. So instead of keeping that thing around to make yourself miserable all the time, why not do the same for your uniform? Take a reminder of the past, and turn it into a symbol of hope", Erdan reasoned, before walking out the door. He figured the best thing he could do to convince Zhong was to give his dad some time to think. Besides, Erdan had some training of his own to do.

Long after Erdan was gone, Zhong thought about Erdan's words, trying to figure out what the boy had meant. Erdan always had been one for riddles. One of the boy's strange quirks - he would have gotten along well with Master Oogway. Finally, Zhong cracked the puzzle, and the wolf's eyes lit up. It was crazy idea, and at first he laughed at what the boy was suggesting. But then he thought about it some more. He had been holding onto the past long enough. He had tried to let it go and forget about it completely, but that only resulted in him almost losing his son forever. And making himself feel guilty all the time wasn't that productive either. So how about he do both? Start a new life for himself while embracing his past at the same time, and using it to do some good in the world. He could even start right now.

Zhong got to his feet, and opened his door. He stepped into the Hall of Warriors, and walked past Erdan and his other teammates. "Zhong, where are you going?", Shifu asked, surprised.

"There's still another hour before our next training session. I'll be back by then, but first I need to buy something in the village", Zhong explained, before opening the front doors. To his surprise, there was someone already standing on the other side. "Shu, what are you doing here?", Zhong asked, staring confusedly at his girlfriend.

"I came to watch Erdan's test tonight", Shu explained. "Are you going somewhere?", Shu asked, confused.

"To the village. I need to buy some metal for a project I'm working on", Zhong explained.

"What kind of project?", Shu asked, intrigued.

Zhong grinned. "You'll see soon enough", the wolf replied.

"Then I guess I'll come with and see what you're buying, so I can figure out what it is", Shu replied, a little annoyed by the fact her boyfriend was keeping secrets from her again. But then again, she _was_ keeping a big secret from him too, one only she and Erdan knew about.

"Alright, you can try, but it still won't do you any good", Zhong challenged, walking past the she-wolf.

"We shall see", Shu replied, her voice ambient.

Seeing that his friends were leaving and wouldn't be back anytime soon, Erdan got to his feet, and ran to the door. "Be careful Shu, the village is full of thieves! A helpless shopkeeper like you might get hurt there!", Erdan shouted after them, before grinning crookedly.

"Don't worry, I've got a big, strong man to take care of me", Shu replied, before laughing out loud. Erdan laughed too, and Zhong looked at the two wolves confusedly.

"Am I missing something?", Zhong asked.

"Nothing, just an in-joke between the two of us", Shu replied, grinning.

Zhong just shrugged, before closing the front doors, and walking down the Jade Palace stairs. While he and Shu were walking, a thought popped into Zhong's head. "If you're gonna follow me around, trying to figure out my secret all the time, shouldn't I at least get a hint about yours?", Zhong asked, annoyed.

"Hmm, you make a fair point. Alright, it has something to do with why I don't lock my doors at night", Shu replied.

"Aw come on, you've gotta give me more than that", Zhong insisted.

"Sorry, that's all you're getting", Shu replied, while enjoying the sound of her boyfriend grumbling.

While the two wolves were talking, putting the Jade Palace further and further behind them with every step, they were unaware they were being watched - by two reptilian predators.

"There's Zhong now. Let's grab him!", a croc bandit muttered, standing up. But before he could make his move, his leader, Fung, pulled back into the bushes where they were hiding.

"No! There's someone else with him, we need to get him when he's alone, remember?! Besides, if we try to get him now, Po and the rest of his goody-goody friends will just hear the fight and break it up. Do you wanna go back to Chor-Gom again? Cause I don't!", Fung growled.

The croc hesitated for a moment, contemplating disobeying Fung for the first time, before sighing. "Fine. We'll wait until tomorrow, but we're telling the others about this tonight", the croc growled, before walking off.

Fung sighed. Usually his men were all stupid and obedient. But his newest recruit, Ling, seemed to be much more aggressive and demanding than his teammates. And there was a very real possibility that Ling might start a mutiny if Fung didn't go through with his plan to capture Zhong. "Ling, wait up!", Fung whispered, running after his teammate as his soon-to-be victim and his girlfriend made it to the village. Fung and his men could let Zhong go on about his life right now, knowing that in less than 24 hours, the wolf would be their hostage. And the balance of power in the croc bandits/kung fu masters battle would finally shift in their favor.

**((()-()))**

Later that night, the full moon hung high in the sky, as Erdan prepared to face one of his greatest fears. Strung between two big trees was twenty feet of rope, and only a few feet below was a large net strung together out of dozens of bundles of rope. It had taken Po and the Five all day to weave it, and Erdan prayed they had done it right.

Right now, the boy was standing on the edge of a tree branch, and once Shifu gave the signal, he would step out onto the wire and inch his way across until he made it to the second branch - twenty feet away. Luckily, Monkey had loaned him one of his longest bamboo sticks so he could steady himself on the wire. Without it, Erdan wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep his balance.

"_**Burn the Book**_" by Alan Silvestri begins.

Ten feet below Erdan, Po, Zhong, Shu, Shifu, Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane were watching the boy prepare to make his leap of fate. "Are you ready Erdan?", Po shouted up to the boy.

"As ready as I'll ever be!", Erdan shouted back.

"Remember, even if you miss the net, you'll have seven kung fu masters waiting to catch if you fall!", Zhong reminded the boy.

"I know dad, I know", Erdan shouted reassuringly, though the boy was trying more to convince himself than Zhong.

"Alright Erdan, you can start…now!", Shifu shouted.

Erdan looked at the tightrope wire. It seemed to stretch on forever. And the ground beneath him seemed so far away. But he knew it would only take him less than a second to cover the ten feet gap and break most of the bones in his body if he fell. Despite everything Zhong had told him that morning, and what he had told himself, he just couldn't force himself to take such an unnecessary risk.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this!", Erdan shouted, freezing up on the spot.

"You can do this Erdan! I know you can!", Zhong shouted encouragingly.

"Why, because I'm a wolf, and we're made for this sort of thing?", Erdan asked sarcastically. It always struck the boy as odd how dry and sarcastic his humor got during an emergency.

"No, because you're my son! You're the craziest, most stubborn kid I've ever met, and if anyone can show this tightrope who's boss, it's you!", Zhong replied, grinning.

Despite being scared out of his mind, Erdan couldn't help grinning back. His dad believed in him, just like how his parents believed in him, no matter how ridiculous his dreams of being a kung fu master must have seemed to them. And that little support was all he needed to snap out of his fear-induced state of shock.

Erdan took a deep breath, closed his eyes (probably not the best idea for someone who was about to risk their life on a tightrope), and put his right foot forward. For one brief, horrifying moment, Erdan's foot found nothing but air, and the boy thought he was going to fall to his doom, before it touched down on the wire.

Erdan opened his eyes, and sighed in relief. He had taken the first big step - he was on the wire. Now it was just a matter of keeping his balance. Erdan held Monkey's stick firmly in his paws, making sure it's weight was perfectly divided between his two arms, before taking his second step forward.

Po, Zhong, and the Five watched anxiously as Erdan continued to take step after step. Every time the boy moved forward on the wire, he always stumbled a little when he put his foot down, but immediately used the bamboo stick to correct his imbalance before he could lurch too far to one side.

"Come on Danny boy, you've got this!", Po shouted excitedly. The panda hoped his break-dancing lessons had taught Erdan enough about balance to help him on the tight-rope, because he still had another ten feet of wire to go.

And then, everyone's worst fears became realized, when Erdan suddenly missed his next step. The boy lurched to the side, and fell off the side of the wire. In that same instant, Po, Zhong, Shu, and the Furious Five all ran forward, ready to catch the boy in case he missed the net. But Erdan never made it to the net, only the bamboo stick he had been carrying, which got all tangled up in the wires.

Po and his friends looked up, to see Erdan holding onto the tightrope, desperately supporting his entire body weight to keep from falling. Of course, he knew he could let go at anytime and still land safely in the net, and his whole ordeal would be over. But it wasn't his safety he was worried about it. Now it was a matter of principle. He had conquered his fears and risked his life for this test, and he didn't want to quit now, not when he was so close.

Zhong looked like he was about something, probably hoping he could convince the boy to let go and fall to safety, before Shifu raised his paw to stop him. "Wait Zhong, this Erdan's test, and the decision to quit must be his. Besides, I think he's onto something", the red panda noted.

High above them, Erdan swung his body and forth, picking up more and more momentum with every swing.

It took Zhong a moment before he realized what the boy was doing, and when he did, the wolf looked more excited than he had all day. "Oh Erdan, you evil genius!", he shouted, laughing wildly.

"What's he doing?", Po asked, confused.

"He's using gravity to his advantage, just like an acrobat. He's basically turned his body into a human pendulum, picking up more and more speed with every swing-", Zhong explained.

"Until he goes fast enough to swing over the wire", Po realized, the panda's face lighting up too. He looked up, and grinned at Erdan. "Keep swinging Danny boy!", the panda shouted.

After his fifth swing, the boy's efforts paid off, when he flew up and over the tightrope. While he was flying upside down into the air, Erdan let go of the wire, and allowed himself to shoot high in the sky, before he started to freefall. Luckily for him, he only fell for a fraction of a second, and landed safely on his feet on the wire, in the same spot where he was before he tripped.

"That's using the old noggin!", Monkey shouted, laughing along with Po and Zhong. Right now, the boy was thinking more like a monkey than a wolf. Maybe those vine-swinging lessons had done him some good after all.

Erdan inched forward again on the wire. He had lost his stick, which had been so crucial to balancing his weight before. But Erdan understand how balance and gravity worked now, and felt like he didn't need it anymore. The boy outstretched his arms, and put one foot over the over, moving at a faster pace than before, but not so fast that he'd risk tripping himself up again.

After a few more minutes, the end of the wire was only three feet away - it would only take him two steps to close the distance. But like most things in life, it sounded easier in theory.

A big gust of wind blew in from the mountains, and Erdan was suddenly blown to the side, pushing his left foot off the wire and into thin air. But instead of letting himself fall down like before, Erdan immediately put all his body weight to the right by bending over, giving himself enough time to put his left foot back on the wire.

Wanting to finish his challenge before anything else could go wrong, Erdan chose to run over the rest of the wire instead of walking across, and then dove for safety. The boy landed on top of a tree branch, and dug his claws into the bark as tightly as he could. After taking a deep breath to keep himself from getting a heart attack, Erdan realized he had done it. He had faced his fears and completed his challenge.

"You did it Danny boy!", Po shouted.

"I told you you had the guts!", Zhong added excitedly.

"Now come down here so we can celebrate!", Shu shouted, with Zhong happily wrapping his paws around her.

Erdan smiled, forced himself to let go of the branch, and dove out of the tree, aiming directly for the net. Luckily, the boy had the aim of a marksmen, and landed safely in the rope. Within an instant of touching down, Erdan was surrounding by his friends and family, all of them hugging him and cheering for him. Even Tigress, the stoic and most distant of the Furious Five, cracked a smile as a way of congratulating the boy.

After speaking to all his friends, Erdan walked up to Zhong and Shu, who both gave him a thumbs-up. Erdan laughed, and hugged his parents, before a strange thought popped into his head. "What did you mean, when you said I'm the craziest kid you've ever met?", Erdan asked, frowning a little at Zhong.

"Well, you did dive off a roof", Zhong reasoned.

"Yeah, but I never hit someone in the face with a hammer, so…", Erdan argued, his voice deliberately trailing off.

"The kid's got a point", Po added from a distance.

Zhong hesitated. Seeing that he couldn't win, the gray wolf decided it would be best if he changed the subject. "Hey, this a celebration, don't ruin the moment", Zhong said, nervously. Erdan nodded, and the group started walking back towards the palace.

"Who's up for victory noodles? With my dad's famous secret sauce?", Po suggested. The panda wasn't surprised when half a dozen hands shot up in agreement. "Alright then, Erdan, since you're the only other person who knows the recipe, I'll need your help in the kitchen", Po added,

"Aye-aye Dragon Warrior", Erdan said, before saluting the panda, and earning a few laughs from his friends. And their laughter went on well into the night, as Erdan enjoyed his victory party. Even after his near-death experience, the boy felt all warm and fuzzy inside for the rest of the night, because he'd learned his father's words from that morning were true. So as long as they'd believed in each other, Po and his friends could do anything. And unknown to the happy, partying animals, that sense of family and teamwork they shared would come in handy much sooner than they thought.

**((()-()))**

On the other side of the Valley, hidden deep within a forest cave, a formidable force was planning their next move of attack. Unfortunately, not all of them had the same idea of attack in mind.

"Fung, we should move out tomorrow!", Ling insisted, growing impatient of his leader's stalling.

"Hey, I wanna get that wolf back just as much as you do, but we have to wait until he's alone Ling. Otherwise the whole plan won't work", Fung argued.

"But we've been laying low in this cave for more than a month, you haven't even been able to go back to your mother's basement cause you're worried she might turn you in. And then after weeks of waiting, you send us to scout out the village, just so you can tell us to fall back again?! When I joined your little gang, you promised me we'd be rich within a month. But all I see is dirt, dirt, and more dirt!", Ling growled.

Fung looked at Ling, furious about the croc's insubordination. If it had been Gary, he would have probably just punched the smaller croc in the face by now. But Ling was just as big as Fung, and he had numbers on his side. Most of the crocs in Fung's gang agreed with Ling, and Fung was afraid that if he didn't follow through with his plan soon, they might replace him with a new leader - namely Ling.

Fung sighed, knowing that no matter which way things went, he still couldn't win. So it was best the handle this situation in way that didn't end with him getting beat up by his own men. "All right, fine. We'll head into the village tomorrow morning. We'll wait until Zhong's alone, and then we'll grab him", Fung resolved.

"Good. I knew you wouldn't let us down, _leader_", Ling sneered, before walking further into the cave.

Fung followed Ling with his golden-yellow eyes, as the subordinate croc walked away. He hoped he had made the right choice. Because if this plan didn't work, they would all be back to square one again - AKA, Chor-Gom prison with the rest of their teammates. Fung shook his head, and growled to himself. He couldn't think like that. His plan _would_ work. And when it did, he would not only be rich, but have the pleasure of humiliating Zhong like the wolf had humiliated him. In Fung's opinion, that was a win-win.

_**Author's Note:**_

The tightrope scene went smoother than I thought it would. Since chapter 15, there's been an increasing pattern of Erdan using the laws of psychics to help him with his balance problems. Technically, the laws of gravity and physics didn't exist until they were discovered by Isaac Newton and perfected by Albert Einstein in the recent centuries, so I doubt anyone knew what gravity was during the days of ancient China. But for the sake of this story, let's say they did (after all, if "_**Kung Fu Panda**_" was 100% historically accurate, the movie wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. And neither would "_**Blazing Saddles**_", "_**Young Frankenstein**_", and "_**Robin Hood: Men In Tights**_").

And after being absent for 11 chapters, the croc bandits are back, with their scheme to get wealthy and get revenge at the same time. I do feel that Fung was mostly out of character in the earlier chapters, so I'll try to make him more funny and less menacing from here on out. So you can bet Fung and his gang will be back in the next chapter. And as much as I'd like to get started writing it right away, I can't right now. Which is actually the big news I have to tell you.

For the past month, I'll been juggling writing this story and my keeping up with the responsibilities of my summer job, and it's become almost impossible. I get what guys like Joe 'Po' Navark and Hidden Stranger mean when they say it's completely exhausting. Plus, I don't think it's fair to my readers to keep all of you waiting this long between chapters. So I'm putting this story on hold until August, when summer break is over and I can start updating regularly again. On the plus side, a month isn't that long for me to wait. I've gone far longer without updating, and it'll give me time to finish mapping out this story's end.

Until August, this is the Cool Kat, signing off.


	18. Chapter 18: Friendship in Wolves

_**Author's Note:**_

As I told you from the last time I posted, this chapter marks the beginning of the end, and I kinda have mixed feelings about it. Because on one hand, I've worked on this story for so long, and I'm glad the hard work is finally over. But on the other hand, writing "_**Erdan 2**_" has been the most fun I've had since last fall, and I'll miss writing for Erdan and his crazy friends. Still, you can read about my thoughts in the acknowledgments section. Right now, I'm writing this author's note to tell you that the last eight chapters are finally finished. At first I thought it would be seven, but after a little rewriting, it turned out to be eight (though technically, if you count the acknowledgments section, it would be nine). Here are the first three. Hopefully, these last few chapters will make for a suitable ending to a story that has been an important part of the past eight months of my life.

The name of this chapter is a nod to another one of AniUniverse's fics, "_**Friendship in Wolves**_", which served as inspiration to me in writing this story. In it, Musaki meets a group of young wolves, and learns not to judge a book by it's cover, along with what it really means to be a part of a pack, to be a part of a family. That simple message has also been the main ongoing theme in "_**Erdan 2**_"'s plot, and it finally culminates these last few chapters. For 17 chapters now, Zhong and Erdan have talked about how strong a wolf pack's bond goes, and now you'll finally get to see it for yourself (or rather, read about it). But before we get to that, I'd like to give a special shout out to Animation Universe. According to your userpage, your birthday's coming up on soon. And since I won't be online on the 16th, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday in advance. Congratulations T.J., you'll be a legal adult soon. So here's to reaching adulthood years before the rest of us. Cheers.

_**Chapter 18: Friendship in Wolves.**_

After Erdan's triumph over his tightrope test, the evening went fairly normal and uneventful. Once Po and his friends were through celebrating, Shu returned to the village while the kung fu masters turned in for the night. However, once Shu returned to her bed, and closed her eyes, drifting off the familiar world of dreamland, that's when things started to get weird.

After several hours of grunting in her sleep, and rocking back and forth restlessly, Shu's eyes snapped open, and the she-wolf leapt out of her bed, panting for the air her lungs so desperately craved. She had just had woken up from the weirdest dream. And it had been so real and so intense that it had nearly sucked all the life out of her. She hadn't had a dream like that in months, not since Erdan arrived in the Valley. It was like her old dreams, but different somehow. Like it was somehow more significant. But it wasn't the power of the dream that had unnerved her, it was the subject dream itself. It had made no sense to her. All her other night terrors had been about Erdan's memories. But this wasn't a memory. It couldn't be a memory. Because this one involved her as well.

Shu shook her head back in forth, in a failed attempt to calm herself down. It had just been a dream. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, it was the middle of the night, it wasn't like she could talk to anybody about it. Shifu and his students wouldn't wake up until sunrise. So the best thing she could do right now was go back to sleep, and go on about her day (or in this case, night) the way she normally would. With that last, uncertain thought, Shu laid back in bed, pulled the covers around her, and closed her eyes again. The dreams did not return to her for the rest of the night, but still she did not rest as easily as she should have. In fact, the reason the dreams didn't return that night was because she didn't get any sleep at all. Which made the following morning quite unpleasant.

**((()-()))**

Later that day, Erdan resumed his duties as waiter in Mr. Ping's restaurant. However, the boy wasn't complaining about his job, or how boring his day was after having a such phenomenal night the day before. Quite to the contrary, the wolf cub was busy multitasking as usual. Boring his friend with his victory story, while waiting tables across the alley.

"I'm telling you Fang, it was so cool! You should have been there", Erdan said excitedly, as he carried a bowl of noodles to Fang's table.

"Uh-huh", Fang replied, only seemingly interested. Instead of looking up at his apron-wearing friend, the rabbit boy was playing with a pair of chopsticks. However, Erdan didn't seem to notice Fang's distraction. Either that, or he simply chose to ignore his friend's indifference.

"At first, I thought I was gonna fall and break my neck. And I almost did. But I managed to hang on, and pull myself back up. If it hadn't been for my friends cheering on, I think I would have been too scared to take the leap of faith. But they helped me through it, and now I'm ready for advanced kung fu!", Erdan continued, his voice shamelessly giddy.

"Yeah, that's real great", Fang said, in the same, uninterested tone as before.

Erdan sighed, put another bowl on another table, and finally acknowledged his friend's boredom. "I'm sorry Fang, am I boring you? Cause I'm pretty sure I only told you this story once", Erdan said sarcastically, with a hint of frustration.

"It's not that", Fang replied, finally looking up at his friend.

"Then what?", Erdan asked, before stepping into the kitchen to get some more bowls.

"It's just not that interesting", Fang replied.

"What?! What do you mean it's not that interesting?!", Erdan demanded, as he handed a bowl of spicy noodles to the duck at table seven.

"It's just not that much of a kung fu test. All you did was walk across a few feet of wire. It's not like you fought Po or the Furious Five. Shifu must be going soft in his old age", Fang explained, before musing to himself towards the end.

"He said I wasn't ready for combat yet. Besides, I'd like to see you try walking on a tightrope. It's twice as hard as it looks", Erdan said, brushing past the rabbit as he headed into the kitchen again. Fang only shrugged in reply, and followed his friend in.

Erdan's thoughts returned to the day before, and the boy remembered something he had wanted to ask his friend before, but had forgotten about during the euphoria that came from passing his test. "Oh, and Zhong told me about your 'life debt'. I saved you once, and you never said you owed me anything", Erdan said, annoyed.

"Hey, what makes you think I needed saving? Besides, you may have been trying to help, but you also jumped off a roof, remember? Which almost killed us both. So I say I don't owe you anything", Fang said smugly.

Erdan sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway. You'll never be able to pay back your so-called life debt", Erdan replied.

"Oh yeah, why not?", Fang asked, raising his eyebrow.

"How are you gonna save Zhong? He's a kung fu warrior, and you're a warrior in training. When would there ever be a chance Zhong needed your help with something?", Erdan reasoned.

"You saved him once, on Valentines Day", Fang argued.

"That was pure chance. A once-in-a-lifetime thing. As far as I know, Po and the Five will never need my help again until I'm an adult", Erdan replied.

"We'll see. I've got a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it's telling me that something's gonna happen today. Something big", Fang replied.

Erdan grumbled to himself, muttering something about how much of a liar his friend was, before reaching towards the counter to get some more orders from Mr. Ping. But before he could grab anything, his boss walked up to him, blocking his path for some reason.

"Erdan, it's lunchtime. Time for your break", Mr. Ping announced. As much as Mr. Ping loved making money, he knew that everyone needed to eat eventually. Besides, he didn't want Erdan to work too hard (yes the old goose had a soft spot for children, just like his son).

"Thanks boss", Erdan grinned, before running out of the kitchen, and disappearing around the corner.

"Enough with this boss talk, just call me Mr. Ping!", the goose shouted after him. However, the wolf cub and his friend were already gone.

**((()-()))**

"Where are we going? Aren't we gonna eat at the shop?", Fang asked, struggling to keep up with four-legged friend.

"Nope. I'm in the mood for vegetables today. And all the best produce comes from the farmer's market", Erdan explained, before slowing down a little so Fang could have time to climb on his shoulder.

But before the boy could start running again, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. At first, he didn't think anything of it. After all, the villagers roamed the streets all the time, talking to each other, and helping one another with their shops. But then, a gust of wind blew in from the south, and Erdan couldn't help but sniff the new scents in the air behind him. The wolf's cub fur stood up on the back his neck, as he recognized who they belonged to.

Fang shouted out in surprise, as Erdan wheeled around, reached into his backpack, and extracted his bow and arrow. Before Fang even realized what was happening, the boy had already loaded his bow, and was pointing it directly at something - or someone. "What is it?", Fang asked, confused.

"Company", Erdan growled.

Fang looked up, and gasped, as he finally noticed the two goats that were approaching them, each with anxious (almost terrified) looks on their faces. You didn't need a wolf's sense of smell to guess who they were - Kenny and James, the two goat brothers who had tried to attack Erdan the month before.

"Stay back!", Erdan commanded, and the goats flinched ever so slightly, as the wolf's finger pulled the arrow back even further against the wire. "I wouldn't come any closer if I were you. I went easy on you last time, but if you came here to start something with me and my friend again, I will shoot you, without hesitating", Erdan growled, and the chills going down the goat brothers' spines confirmed that the wolf was absolutely serious. After all, Erdan never had been one to bluff.

"Whoa, calm down dude", Ken said nervously.

"Yeah, we're just here to talk", James insisted.

Erdan scoffed, but relaxed his grip on the arrow a little. "Talk about what?", Erdan demanded.

"We came here to apologize", James replied.

Erdan frowned, and gripped the arrow tighter again. "I don't believe you", he said gruffly.

"Look, I know you have no reason to believe us. But look at the facts man. After you beat us last time, do you really think we'd be dumb enough to come and pick a fight with you, just so we can get our asses kicked again?", Kenny reasoned.

Erdan thought about the goat's words (ignoring his profanity), and came to the conclusion that they were telling the truth. After all, the younger brother made a solid point. Why would they want to get beat up again? Why would anyone? Erdan lowered his bow, and against his better judgment, put it back in his backpack.

"What are you doing?!", Fang asked, shocked.

Still going against his better judgment, Erdan looked away from Kenny and James, and instead diverted his attention to the rabbit sitting on his shoulder. "Giving them a chance", Erdan replied, before turning back towards the goat brothers. "Why are you apologizing?", Erdan asked, confused. Although he knew what the goats had did to him was wrong (on so many levels), he never thought they would actually admit they had been in the wrong.

"We shouldn't have done with we did, and we shouldn't have been so quick to accuse you of being a thief", Kenny said guiltily.

"Yeah, we've been feeling bad about it all month. Especially after you talked your dad out of killing our dad, even when you could have let Zhong rip him apart. So we ditched dad in the farmer's market, and waited until you went on break so we could talk to you", James explained.

Erdan looked at the goats. Again, their words seemed sincere, but he still didn't want to let his guard down yet. The wolf cub's red eyes studied them closely, as the goats approached. His instincts were telling him to attack, to keep them from getting any closer, but this time, Erdan ignored his wild side. He wanted to know for certain the goats' intentions before he did something stupid, like starting another fight.

"So again, we're really sorry man. And we'd like to thank you, for not beating the crap out of us when we were knocked out", James said.

"Yeah, we've been in fights with the other village kids before, and a lot guys kick you while you're down", Kenny explained.

Erdan flinched a little. He had heard all kinds of profanity when he was working at a bar in Kong Wolf City, but it seemed so weird to hear such adult curses coming out of animals as small as goats. Erdan continued to watch as Ken and James extended their hooves, obviously wanting their rival to shake them as a gesture of friendliness.

Erdan eyed the goats' hooves for a moment, neither him nor Fang moving an inch. And just when it seemed like he wasn't going to respond, Erdan eagerly shook both goat's hands, as a sign the feud was finally over.

When they looked up, they saw a wide smile on the wolf cub's face. "Well, I never could stay mad at someone", Erdan replied. It would be years before Kenny and James would find out how true Erdan's assessment of himself was, or just how far the boy's forgiving nature went.

"You and your friend have got some real guts kid. Taking on both us like you did", Kenny whistled.

Erdan raised his eyebrows. He knew the goats were two to three years older than him, but he was still surprised by the way they kept him calling him 'kid'. Maybe it was teenager thing, just like swearing all the time.

"Of course we fought you. Erdan may be a wimp, but he's still twice your size", Fang said, speaking up for the first time in several minutes.

Kenny and James frowned, and Erdan quickly stepped in, before his friend made things worse again. "I think what Fang means is that it wasn't exactly a fair fight. You two are the ones who really have guts. You were gonna take on Zhong. I've seen grown men who are afraid to stand up to him, let alone teenagers", Erdan said, obviously impressed.

"Of course we were gonna risk our lives fighting him. He was gonna hurt our dad, and we couldn't let anything happen to him. Yeah, we had no chance, and sure, your dad was probably gonna kill us. But if getting pummeled by a wolf meant we could save dad, we would have gladly taken the beatdown", James replied.

"If it was your family at risk, wouldn't you do everything you could to save them?", Kenny asked.

With that one, seemingly innocent question, Erdan's smile disappeared, and the wolf's face distorted into a look of absolute pain. Fang couldn't help but feel sorry for his friend, as he could already guess what Erdan was thinking about - the night his parents died. Watching his mother and father be murdered in cold blood, and then being helpless to save them. The leftover pain from that night still hurt him, like a punch to the gut, and the wolf cub found himself struggling to breathe just thinking about it.

Luckily, the moment lasted less than a second, and Kenny and James remained ignorant to the boy's pain. The last thing Erdan wanted to do was to have to explain himself to them. He had just barely been able to explain his pack's death to Po and the Five without going insane the other month. He thought had have moved on since then, but apparently not. Something was still holding him back.

Erdan put on his best fake smile, and laughed nervously. "Yeah, I guess", Erdan replied curtly.

Wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible, and spare his friend some more pain (yes, Fang has a soft spot too), Fang spoke up. "Um, Erdan, shouldn't we be getting to the farmer's market? Your break won't last forever", Fang said awkwardly.

"Right", Erdan said quickly (a little too quickly), and turned towards his former-enemies. "So I guess we're friends now. I'll see you guys later?", Erdan asked, curious.

"Yeah sure", Kenny replied,

"Maybe. Dad will probably kill us for sneaking off when we get back", James said.

Erdan grinned a little, and shook the two goats hooves again. "Well, if you're still alive the next time we meet, I'll look forward to starting over again", Erdan said, before walking off, with Fang still riding on his shoulders.

Once they were gone, James and Kenny sighed. "Come on little bro, we have to face the music eventually", James said, patting his younger brother on the shoulder.

Kenny followed his big bro's lead, and the two goats reluctantly walked back to the area where they had ditched their dad before. But as they were walking, they held their heads down out of guilt, which is why they didn't notice the shadowy figure watching them from behind an apple cart.

Jimbo couldn't help but a let a small tear roll down his face, feeling even more guilty than his sons. The old goat had actually noticed them sneaking off before, and had followed them to see what they doing. When he caught up to them, he saw Erdan pointing a bow and arrow to his kids' faces. He had almost stepped in to try and save them, when he realized they weren't fighting the boy, but were trying apologizing to him.

Just like his sons, Jimbo had also been feeling guilty about what he done to Erdan for the past month. His bigotry had almost hurt an innocent child. Yeah, sure, Erdan was a wolf. But he had cared enough to spare the lives of both him and his sons, even after all they had done to him and his family. While Jimbo had forced his sons to hunt him down and try to beat up someone hadn't even done anything wrong - just because he was a wolf. So who was the real monster that day?

Jimbo had thought about apologizing to Erdan and his family several times, but had never been able to force himself to go through with it, terrified that if he even went near Zhong again, the ex-con would go through with his threat and finish what he started. But here was his sons, risking their necks to apologize. And not just to ease their guilty consciences, but to try and redeem themselves for the almost heinous act they committed - doing something their old man could have only dreamed of doing. Something their father was too much of a coward to do, even if he knew it was the right thing.

Jim thought back to the first day he met Erdan, specifically remembering the wolf cub's teasing words as he handed his sons their bowls of spicy noodles. "_It's not every day the kids are bolder than their dad, is it?_", he had joked lightly, not having any idea how right he was. But Jimbo couldn't hide anymore. If his sons could be brave enough to do the right thing, he could be too.

As he stepped out from behind the apple cart, and started following his kids' trail, he decided that he had to speak to Zhong. Right after he got through punishing his sons for ditching him.

**((()-()))**

Even later that day, Shu sighed in relief, as she finally reached the top of the Jade Palace stairs. After waking up that morning, she had tried to convince herself that the dream meant nothing and that she should go on about her normal day as usual. But the dream continued to haunt her, even in the daytime - something that had never happened to her before, not even with her old nightmares. Every time she blinked, she saw Erdan in her mind, even if her eyes were closed for only a fraction of a second, making it impossible for her to work on her pottery. Eventually, she closed up her shop five hours before nightfall, and made her way towards the Jade Palace.

During the entire trip, she had been so tired that she had barely been aware of anything she had been doing. It was like her brain was getting a much needed rest, while her body was doing all the work for her, as she climbed step after step. Like something was drawing her towards the Jade Palace - an invisible force that had decided it was crucial she be there at a certain time. Maybe the same force that was haunting her dreams? She didn't know, and she didn't care. All she cared about was getting inside the palace so she could talk to Shifu. He was the only she had spoken to so far about her restless nights, and he was the only who had made sense of her past dreams. Maybe he could help her again now.

She knocked weakly on the door, and waited patiently for a few seconds until someone opened it (swaying a little back and forth as she waited). Unsurprisingly, Po was the one who answered. "Shu, what are you doing here on a workday? Zhong's training with the others", the panda asked, confused.

"I'm not here to see him for once. I wanna speak to Shifu. Can you take me to him?", Shu asked.

"Sure", Po said, stepping back a little so Shu could walk past him. The panda escorted her to dining room, and told her to sit down in one of the chairs (noticing that she was obviously tired), until he brought in Shifu.

Shu did as Po said, and waited for a very long sixty seconds, fighting her eyelids the entire time in a losing battle to stay awake. Until, finally, she heard the door creak open again. She looked up, to see Shifu walk in, alone. "_He must have told Po to get back to training with the others_", Shu thought.

"Po told me that you wanted to see me, is something wrong young one?", Shifu asked, curious, taking his place at the other end of the table.

"A week ago, I told you that I used to have dreams about Erdan. Well, they're back again. And they're worse", Shu explained.

"Worse, how so?", Shifu asked, even more curious now.

"The others were confusing to me before because I didn't know Erdan. Now I know they were his memories. But the one I had last night, it was really confounding. Because it couldn't have been a memory", Shu continued.

"Why not?", Shifu inquired.

"Because I was in it. I was fighting with Erdan", Shu explained.

Shifu's eyes widened in alarm, and the old panda raised his eyebrows. "You were _fighting_ with Erdan? Do you mean you were hurting him?", Shifu asked, concerned.

"No, not like that!", Shu said quickly, horrified by what the old master was even suggesting. The she-wolf would gladly give her up life for the boy, and the very idea of her hurting him disgusted her. She shook her head to deny Shifu's words, and decided to be more clear with her descriptions.

"I mean I fighting side-by-side with him, in battle. We were battling what looked like a small army. I was disarming soldiers by sneaking up on them from behind, while he attacking men from above with his arrows. We were taking down guy after guy, like we were looking for something. Something important", Shu explained, a hint of confusion in her voice, like she didn't quite understand what she was saying herself.

Shifu rubbed his beard for a minute, obviously deep in thought, before looking at Shu again with his old, wise eyes. "Perhaps it's not one of Erdan's memories, not yet. But it will be", Shifu said.

Shu immediately caught on to what the old master was saying, and leaned closer on the table. "Are you saying it was a vision, or something?", she asked.

"It's possible. Like I told you before, sometimes people can develop a deep, emotional connection with someone. Like a student and his master. A brother and his siblings. A mother and her son. Dreams can be a way of letting us know when a loved one is in danger", Shifu began. "But dreams work in mysterious ways. Oogway once said they can also serve as warnings, even instructions about the future. Important things that we haven't done yet that we must do. The future isn't set in stone, but there are some things that can't be avoided", Shifu mused.

The old panda then remembered Oogway's dreams about Tai Lung's escape from Chor-Gom. Shifu had tried his best to prevent this future from happening, but ironically, his efforts had only caused Tai Lung's escape _to_ happen. Something that Oogway had known would happen all along - something that always had to happen in order for Po to have become the Dragon Warrior. That was probably the reason Oogway had informed him about his dream in the first place.

Shifu shook his head, fighting off a migraine. One of Oogway's friends, a time traveler named the Doctor, once said that the universe was big and confounding, impossible to keep straight in your head, and if you thought about it too much you'd give yourself a headache. Apparently, the madman's words were completely true.

"So, you're saying that it'll happen one day?", Shu asked, surprised.

"Maybe it will, maybe it won't. Only time will tell", Shifu replied simply.

Shu nodded her head, and then yawned. Even though she was dead tired, she still had a weird feeling in the bottom of her stomach. The fur on the back of her neck was standing high on end, and she had this sneaky suspicion that her dream would come true sooner than they thought.

Shifu raised his eyebrows, as Shu yawned for a second time. "You're tired. You should get some rest before you return home", Shifu suggested.

"I don't want to be a burden", Shu argued.

"As head of the Jade Palace, it's my responsibility to make sure my guests are well-cared for. Now head to one of the bedrooms, and get some sleep", Shifu advised, before getting out of his chair, and walking off.

For a moment, Shu thought about ignoring Shifu's words, and walking back home anyway. But then she thought about how many times Po had got into trouble simply by ignoring Shifu's wisdom, and decided it was best to follow his orders. She slowly got out of her chair, and walked into Po's room, deciding it would be a bit too risqué if she slept in Zhong's room. She laid down on the mat, and closed her tired, strained eyelids. And that's all she remembered before she blacked out.

**((()-()))**

A few hours later, Po and Zhong walked into Po's bedroom, and watched Shu's chest rise and fall with her deep, purely instinctual, breaths. Everyone knew she had come to talk to Shifu, but their master wouldn't tell them what it had been all about, only that it was a private matter between him and Shu. Still, Zhong and Po had decided to check on Shu once training was over, three hours after she had arrived.

"She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping", Po noted.

"Yeah. Like a furry angel", Zhong said, grinning. "I'm going down to the village to buy some more metal. I'll wake up Shu when I get back, and then take her home. She looks like she could do with another hour of sleep", Zhong told Po. The wolf wasn't nearly done with his mysterious 'project' yet, and he would need a lot more metal to work with in the days that were still to come.

"Sure. Oh, and while you're there, could you bring some fruit and veggies from the noodle shop? I'm making salad tonight, and all the ingredients I need are at dad's place", Po said.

"Sure panda", Zhong said, groaning a little as his 'short' trip just got longer and more complicated. "_Still, the longer this trip takes, the longer Shu gets to sleep_", Zhong thought, trying to keep himself from getting too agitated. After all, the trip had been his idea. With one last kiss on Shu's forehead, Zhong walked off, leaving Po alone to watch over his girlfriend until he returned.

**((()-()))**

A little while later, there was another knock on the Jade Palace doors, and Po opened them (half-expecting it to be Zhong back from his trip), but instead found Erdan, holding up a basket full of fruit and vegetables. "You needed some fruit?", Erdan asked, grinning.

"Danny boy! Come on in", Po said, before stepping out of the way so the wolf cub could walk past him. The two animals then left the Hall of Warriors, and proceeded to walk into the dining room. "Where's your dad?", the panda asked, following Erdan into the kitchen.

"There was a line at the blacksmith's. Apparently, this villager needed some work done on his furnace. So while he was waiting, dad stopped by the shop and told me to deliver these up to the palace. He said he should be back before the sun sets, but if not, we should wake up Shu and take her home ourselves", Erdan explained, placing the basket on the kitchen table.

As Po and Erdan started to chop up vegetables (not so quietly at that), they were both unaware the sounds were echoing across the palace, into the hallway. So neither one of them noticed when Shu began to stir.

**((()-()))**

Zhong yawned, and looked up. The sun was just beginning to set. If he hurried, he could make it back to the palace in time to wake up Shu, bring her home, and then go to bed before it got too dark. The wolf hated traveling after dark, it was so depressing.

Normally, he wouldn't have waited in line at the blacksmith's for two hours if his 'project' wasn't so important to him. But it was, and in his mind, it was well worth the wait. Erdan's words to him the other day had really had an effect on him, and for the first time since he arrived in the Valley, he realized there was another way to keep himself on right path. A way that didn't involve torturing himself.

Zhong looked away from the sun, and instead looked ahead of him. The Jade Palace stairs were so close now. If it wasn't for the heavy sack he had draped across his shoulders, he would sprint up them on all four legs, and save himself some time. Still, being a kung fu warrior had made him learn how to be patient, and he had walked up these steps hundreds of times before without complaining.

Suddenly, Zhong's ears pricked up, and the one-eyed wolf heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Moving impossibly fast, Zhong threw his burlap sack to the side (ignoring the loud clang the metal made when it hit into ground), and retracted his claws. Before his pursuer even had time to cringe, Zhong was already holding his claws to the goat's face. He wasn't surprised when he saw who his follower was, he had already guessed the man's identity just by the sniffing the air around him. "I thought I told you to stay away from me", Zhong growled impatiently.

Jimbo stuttered, and backed away from the wolf, just in case he lost his patience and lashed out again. "It's not what you think. I didn't come here to start trouble. I came to apologize", Jimbo explained.

"I'm not interested in hearing your fake apologies", Zhong growled. The wolf bent over, picked up his sack, and started to walk away, as if Jimbo wasn't even there.

"But I really am sorry for what happened", Jimbo insisted, following behind Zhong, much to the wolf's annoyance.

Zhong scoffed. "No you're not. You don't feel guilty about anything, you're just scared. You're afraid that if you don't apologize, I'll kill you", Zhong replied indifferently.

Jimbo frowned. Here he was, swallowing his pride (which was not an easy task), and Zhong wouldn't even listen to what he had to say. The goat ran in front of Zhong, forcing the wolf to stop in his tracks.

At first Zhong tried to go around him, but Jim just moved to the left, blocking his path. Zhong tried to go to the right, but Jimbo just blocked him again. And it went on like this for a few seconds, before Zhong's patience started to run out. "Move", the wolf growled, his eyes somehow icy cold and fiery hot at the same time.

Only a second after he spoke, Zhong's red eyes diverted their attention from Jimbo to a nearby alley. He thought he saw something moving in the shadows. However, when he focused his vision and looked closer, the alley was completely empty. Perhaps he was so angry he wasn't seeing straight. Zhong knew it was a pretty lame explanation, but he was still too mad to be suspicious of anything right now besides Jimbo. So he turned his attention back to the goat, and growled menacingly.

However, Jimbo didn't flinch this time. Instead the goat seemed even more determined to get a response out of Zhong. "Why are you so intent on hating me?", Jimbo asked, before kicking himself mentally for asking such a stupid question.

"You tried to hurt my son", Zhong sneered.

Jimbo raised his eyebrows, and tilted his head to the side, in a surprisingly canine-like movement. "No, it's more than that. I can tell. There's another reason", Jimbo said, talking more to himself than Zhong.

Before Jimbo could ponder the subject anymore, Zhong bent over, so the wolf and the goat could speak to each other face to face. "I hate you because of your assumptions about my kind. You think you know everything there is about being a wolf. You think we're nothing but bloodthirsty savages who's only purpose in life is to kill and destroy. But you have no idea what it really means to be a part of a pack. You'll never know", Zhong said bitterly, before lifting his head, and walking past the stunned Jimbo.

However, much to the wolf's aggravation, the goat only continued to follow him. "Then tell me", he asked.

Zhong growled, frustrated. "It's not something that can be explained", he said, though Jimbo guessed he was only saying that to further try and dismiss him.

"Look Zhong, I know what I did was wrong. Really wrong. And I know you have no reason to believe me after everything I've done. But how will you know if I'm sincere or not if you won't even give me a chance to try and apologize?", Jimbo asked, stepping in front of the wolf once more.

At first, Zhong's expression remained angry and filled with hatred. But then it gradually started to soften, eventually melting into a face that almost looked sympathetic. Jimbo's argument, it was strikingly similar to the argument he had made with Shifu and his students the previous fall. He remembered how hard it was to gain their trust, and how hard he'd had to work to find redemption. And what made it even harder was the fact that, for the longest time, no one believed he could change except for Po.

Now, what Jimbo had done to Erdan was horrible, but Zhong was no saint either, not even close. And what Jimbo did paled in comparison to his deeds. If Po could find it in his heart to trust him after all that death and destruction he had caused, he could surely do the same for others. Couldn't he? Wasn't that part of what being a kung fu master was all about? Forgiveness?

Zhong continued to stare at Jimbo, not speaking, only thinking to himself in silence for a few minutes, before the wolf sighed. He knew he would regret doing this later. "Fine. I'll give you this one chance. But only if you apologize to Erdan first", Zhong said firmly.

Jimbo's face lit up, and for the first time in weeks, the old goat looked sincerely happy. While he was still nervous about his second meeting with Erdan (wouldn't you feel awkward if you had to apologize to the same kid you tried to have beaten?), it still wouldn't be anywhere near as intimidating as facing the boy's enormous father. "I will, the next time I see him", Jimbo promised.

Zhong still looked a little unconvinced, but a small hint of a smile started to appear at the edge of his lips. "Good, I'm holding you to your word", the wolf said, before walking again. He had already spent a good 15 minutes talking to Jimbo, and his already slim chances of making it back to the palace before sundown were even slimmer now.

Zhong's ears pricked up again, and he quickly realized it was the sound of footsteps behind him. The wolf sighed, thinking it was just Jimbo, come back to bother him about something again. He thought the goat had left by now. But then he froze, when he realized there was more than just one set of footsteps behind him. It sounded like three or four guys at least, all moving towards him at once. Suddenly feeling anxious, Zhong sniffed the air for any familiar scents. His heart stopped when he recognized the smells. The wolf reacted in the exact same moment Jimbo screamed, "Look out behind you!".

"_**A Cab For Amy Pond**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Zhong spun around, and leapt forward, tackling at least one of the guys who had been tailing him. Once he had the man pinned under him, Zhong lifted his head to survey his surroundings. His nose had been right, as usual. He was surrounded by croc bandits, no doubt sent after him by Fung. He didn't know why Fung and his men would go out of their way to attack him when they were supposed to be in hiding, and at the moment, he didn't care.

While Zhong and Jim had been talking, the crocs had appeared out of the shadows, and stalked them from a close distance. They had intended to sneak up on Zhong and tackle him while his guard was down. But what they didn't know was that years of being a soldier had made the wolf's senses razor sharp, and using a sneak attack on him wasn't as easy as it used to be.

The croc's teammates flinched when they saw Zhong how quickly Zhong reacted, but then they raised their hammers, and charged towards the wolf. Now that Zhong had made the first move, the fight was fully on.

The croc bandit squirmed under Zhong's vice grip, but the wolf ignored him, instead glancing at Jimbo, who was watching the whole melee from a not-so-safe distance. "Run!", Zhong shouted.

"But you're outnumbered!", Jimbo reminded him.

"I don't care, just go!", Zhong insisted. As much as he disliked the goat, Jim was still a citizen of the Valley of Peace, and it was Zhong's duty to protect him.

Jimbo hesitated for a moment, but when he saw the crocs getting even closer, the goat bolted down the street, determined to get as far away from the fight as he could. He knew Zhong couldn't fight off all those crocs alone. The wolf needed help. And unfortunately for both him and Jimbo, the nearest back-up was all the way on top of a mountain.

A few feet behind him, Zhong fought as fiercely as he could, to say he was hopelessly outnumbered. He pounded croc after croc, throwing them out as the way as quickly as they approached. However, Zhong knew he couldn't keep this up forever. He would start to get tired eventually, and there were at least a dozen other croc bandits to contend with. Plus, it didn't help that his hammer was back at the palace, where he had been leaving it for the past two months. Perhaps now wasn't the best time to get used to empty-handed combat.

Just as Zhong was gonna hit another croc, he heard someone clear their throat, and turned around to see Fung standing in the middle of the street. "Hey there lap dog", the lead croc taunted.

"Fung, why are you doing this?!", Zhong demanded, though making sure not to take his eyes off the crocs that were surrounding him.

"You've been training with Po and his friends for a while now Zhong. You should know there's a lot of valuable of the stuff in the Jade Palace. I bet if one of Shifu's students went missing, he'd give anything to get them back, even a few priceless artifacts or valuable weapons", Fung explained, grinning.

"You're out of your mind if you're think Shifu's going hand over the Jade Palace's treasures. And you're really out of your mind if you think I'm going anywhere with you and your goons", Zhong growled, as the croc circled him.

Zhong followed the croc's movements intensely, never once letting him disappear out of his line of vision. It was a part of his military training to never let your guard down around the enemy. But little did he know, Fung was using that very same tactic against him.

"Yeah, we kinda weren't going to ask you if you wanted to come. We were just gonna kidnap you. It's what us bandits do best. Well, that and pulling sneak attacks. You good guys, you're just so easy to fool", Fung replied.

Zhong raised his eyebrows, before a chill went down the wolf's spine, as he realized he had been so busy looking at Fung that he had stopped looking at all the other crocs. And the fact he only had one working eye meant he was especially vulnerable to sneak attacks on his blind side.

But before he could have enough time to turn around, Zhong felt a large object collide with the back of his head, and instinctively knew it was one of the croc's hammers, crushing his skull. The wolf groaned, and swayed back and forth for a few minutes, before he collapsed on the snow, bleeding heavily from his wounds.

Fung smirked. "Not so tough now, are you?", he said, leaning over Zhong's unconscious body. The croc then looked up to grin at his second-in-command, who had acted o-so-quickly once Fung had managed to distract their target. "Good work Gary", Fung said. It was uncharacteristic of him to actually congratulate the lackey he loved to pick on so much. But he was in that good of a mood after seeing one of his plans work for once.

Gah-Ri chuckled, and threw his hammer down on the ground. "Thanks boss. What do we do now? Leave a ransom note or something?", Gah-Ri asked, curious.

Fung paused for a moment, before he noticed the footprints in the snow, leading off further down the alley. His thoughts went back to the goat Zhong had been talking to shortly before their attack, and the croc grinned evilly. "Nah, a note's been done way too many times. Just get him back to the fort, and I'll take care of the details", Fung ordered.

The crocs nodded, and started dragging Zhong's bruised and bloody body off into the shadows. While they started heading out village, taking Zhong to safety of the forest, Fung headed in the opposite direction, determined to tie up the last loose end.

**((()-()))**

Jimbo panted, running as fast as he could up the Jade Palace stairs. The old goat had never ran this fast in his life, and his heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. But despite all the immense pain he was causing himself, he knew he couldn't stop running. Not even for one second to catch his breath. Not when Zhong needed him.

He had been running for the past five minutes, and so far he was only half-way up the stairs. His fear had been the only thing keeping him going the whole time. He had especially gotten a shot of adrenaline when he noticed the sounds of a struggle behind him had come to a stop, and the village had gone quiet. Too quiet.

The sun had now set entirely, and the Valley of Peace was eerily dark. The perfect setting for a brutal crime to take place. Jim shook his head. He couldn't think like that. Zhong could take care of himself, and could surely handle a few croc bandits. Beating Fung and his gang was like a walk in the park for Shifu's students.

The Jade Palace was now in sight, and he knew he could make the rest of the journey in less than a few seconds. However, Jimbo stopped running, and almost died inside, when he saw a large, tall figure blocking his path. The last few stairs were obscured by Fung, who was watching the goat with a smug grin on his face. "What's the rush? Why is everyone in such a hurry today?", he asked.

Jimbo gulped, and his eyes desperately whirled around, looking for an escape route. When he realized there weren't any, the goat opened his mouth to scream, before the reptile placed one of his giant claws over his face.

"If you scream, you'll never find out where Zhong is. And if you never find out where he is, his friends will never see him again, understand?", Fung threatened.

Jimbo hesitated for a few moments, before nodding in compliance.

Fung grinned. "That's a good goat. Now Zhong's being held at the old military base in the bamboo forest. Tell Shifu and his students to meet us there at midnight, with all the Jade Palace's treasure, or _he'll_ never see Zhong again", Fung explained.

Jimbo shuddered. The goat was more terrified now in Fung's hands than he had ever been in Zhong's (if that was even possible). Because he had always known that Zhong was a good guy, and would never really hurt him. But Fung was criminal. A goofy one, but a criminal nonetheless, and there was no telling what the croc bandit was capable of if pushed to it (after all, he and his men had once tried to kill their frenemy Po just to satisfy their boss Tong Fo). So as much as Jimbo's body wanted to lock up in fear, the old man didn't dare give into his instincts. Instead, he nodded his head again in compliance, since he couldn't reply to Fung audibly.

And then, as quickly as it began, it was over. Fung released Jimbo from his claws, and allowed the goat to fall backwards onto the stairs. "Now go, tell them now! Before it's time for lights out, or whatever they do at sunset!", Fung commanded, though the croc started to ramble awkwardly towards the end.

Jimbo quickly obeyed, and ran up the rest of the stairs like his life depended on it (and who's to say it didn't?). He never once looked back to see if Fung was still behind him, only looking ahead and focusing on the Jade Palace's doors. The only thing going through the goat's mind was getting to safety, and helping the Dragon Warrior save his friend in whatever way he could.

Fung grinned, and watched Jimbo pound frantically on the front doors, hoping and praying that someone would answer. Fung didn't need to watch the rest. Besides, it was best he go now before anyone came to the door anyway. The last thing he needed was to get caught right outside the Jade Palace and ruin his whole plan right when it was just getting started (though that's just the kind of blunder he would have usually made).

After all his failures and letdowns in the past, Fung was sure his plan would work this time. The croc bandit had a weird feeling in the pit of stomach. A feeling in his gut that was telling him it was his time to shine. After years of being beaten by the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five, the time of the croc bandits was now. And he would finally get to prove himself a far better leader than Ling could ever be.

_**Author's Note:**_

And now all the pieces are being put into place for a final battle between the kung fu warriors and the croc bandits. Fang and Shu have been feeling this coming for a while now, and so has Fung apparently. That dream of Shu's was indeed of vision, of her and Erdan rescuing Zhong from the croc bandits. But it's a bit of a role reversal isn't it? That Zhong is the typical 'damsel in distress' for the battle scene. I've been planning the final showdown to play out this way for a while now, ever since the end of chapter 6. Cause if the crocs had kidnapped Shu or Erdan, this story would have just gone down the same, overdone path as all the hundreds of action movies I seen, that involve the brave hero rescuing his beautiful, but naïve girlfriend. I quickly learnt that even when you're a guy, you start to get tired of that after a while, and start to understand why women are always so intense about girl power. So instead of ending this fic with a cliché, and I decided to go the opposite way with it.

A friend of mine, Scruff the Rat, once told me that one of the keys to developing a character is to avoid excessive stereotypes (whether it involves males or females), and Scruff's advice reaffirmed my ideas about how this story would end. With a twist on a classic ending. That's actually the reason why I gave Shu kung fu skills, and made her more independent as the leading female. So that instead of Zhong and Erdan rescuing Shu from the crocs, Shu and Erdan could get to rescue Zhong in the finale. It's not that I get some kind of sick joy out of emasculating a lead character (though admit it, how many of you kinda enjoyed watching Shen make Wolf Boss, the 'alpha wolf', squirm in the movie. And as a result, wrote in a few, not-so-macho scenes for him in your fics?), I just wanted to do something original, something that would give Erdan a chance to bond with Shu. And besides, Lois Lane told Superman once that 'even heroes need to be saved sometimes Clark. That's why you have me'. So Scruff, thanks for the advice. Without it, Shu might have never gotten her chance to shine in the following chapters.


	19. Chapter 19: The Time of the Croc Bandits

_**Chapter 19: The Time of the Croc Bandits (Ransomed).**_

Po looked out the kitchen window, staring into the darkness of night. "Okay, it's officially past sunset. I don't know where Zhong is, but it's time to take you and Erdan home", Po said, speaking to two wolves standing next to him in the kitchen.

"Po, I'm starting to get really worried", Shu said, her voice obviously troubled.

Before Po could answer her, there was a loud knock on the door in the other room. Normally, Po would have just assumed it was Zhong (showing up 30 minutes late), and would have walked casually to the door to open it. But from the moment he heard the first knock, he knew it wasn't Zhong. Because the knock didn't really sound like a knock. Instead, it sounded more like someone pounding on the door as hard as they could, while screaming at the top of their lungs for someone to save them. Not to mention, it wasn't Zhong's voice on the other side.

By the time Po started running to the Hall of Warriors, Shu and Erdan were already far ahead of him, along with Shifu and the Furious Five. To everyone's horror, the knocks only grew more frequent, and the screaming got louder and louder with each second wasted.

Finally, Erdan (being the fastest of the group), made it to the door first, and wrenched it open. As soon as the giant doors swung open, the man on the other side wasted no time in bolting inside, and almost plowing Erdan down as he desperately made his way to safety. The boy only had time to get a short glimpse of the man as he was ran past him, but that 2 second look was he all needed to recognize him. "Jimbo? What are you doing?", Erdan asked, confused.

"Close the door!", Jimbo shouted, ignoring Erdan's question.

"Why?", Po asked, just as confused as Erdan.

"Just do it! Please!", Jimbo begged.

Po and Tigress raised their eyebrows, surprised by how terrified the man was, but eventually pushed the giant doors shut, while Erdan cautiously approached the old goat. "Jim, are you okay?", he asked, concerned.

Jimbo didn't reply. Not because he didn't want to, but rather because he couldn't. Not yet anyway. He had ran all the way up a thousand stairs. A pretty simple task for a kung fu warrior, but something that was almost impossible for a regular villager (after all, the Dragon Warrior himself would be quick to tell you that his first trip to the Jade Palace had been anything but pleasant). Jimbo's fear and his adrenaline had kept him going before, but now that he had stopped to rest, he could feel the full effect the trip had had on his heart, and it hurt like no pain the old man had ever felt before.

For one brief, horrifying moment, Jim felt like he was gonna die. He thought he was gonna have a heart attack, and die right there in the Hall of Warriors, and then the Dragon Warrior would never know what became of his friend, and Zhong would die because of Jimbo's failure. But right as he started to succumb to the pain, the burning feeling around his heart started to subside, and the goat began to breathe normally again. His body was stabilizing, and his vital organs were working normally again. For now anyway, but he certainly wasn't ever going to test them like that anymore.

The goat looked up, to see Po and the Furious Five following Erdan's lead, cautiously approaching the old man. Some looked confused, some looked amused, and some looked plain angry (Tigress being one of those few).

"You have a lot nerve coming here Jimbo, to our home. We thought we told you to leave Erdan alone", the striped master growled.

Jimbo frowned a little that Tigress, just like Zhong, would jump to that conclusion so quickly, but then shook his head, as he remembered he had done the exact same thing. Besides, there were much more important things to worry about. "I'm not here to cause the boy any trouble. I'm here to tell you, Zhong's been taken", Jimbo explained.

As soon as everyone registered what the old goat was saying, Jimbo watched as all the life drained out all the room, and nine faces all turned pale white at the same time. Then everything exploded, as everyone started asking questions and demanding answers from Jim all at the same time. However, it was Shifu who finally walked up to goat, his expression of a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Taken by who?", Shifu demanded.

"Fung and the croc bandits, they took him for ransom. They said to give them all the treasure in the Jade Palace, or you'll never see him again", Jimbo explained, flinching a little as Shifu got a bit too close in the goat's personal space.

"Why should we believe you?", Monkey asked, scowling.

"I saw it happen with my own eyes, their leader threatened me! And besides, even if you don't want to believe me, Zhong's not here, is he?", Jimbo reasoned.

At that, the room fell silent again, as they realized the goat's story had to be true.

"He's telling truth. Zhong should have been back by now", Erdan whispered, speaking mostly to Shifu than anyone else.

Shifu's expression remained angry, but he nodded his head in agreement, and turned back to Jimbo. "Where did they say they were taking him?", Shifu asked, his voice a little calmer now, though everyone could tell the old master was still fighting back his anger.

"They said he's being held at some old fort in the bamboo forest. They didn't say where, but Fung said it used to be used by the military", Jimbo continued.

Standing at the back of the group, Po's eyes lit up with comprehension. There were dozens of military forts scattered all across China. He and Tigress had ran across one when they were chained together once, and he had been held prisoner in one when Fung framed him kidnapping. But there was only one fort in the Valley of Peace that Jimbo could have been talking about.

"General Mako's base", Shifu said simply, finishing the panda's thoughts.

General Mako was a legend in China. Over 200 years ago, Mako was the best general in the Imperial guard, and a well respected ally of Oogway and his students. One year, he and his men were positioned in the Valley of Peace, and had built a camp there for the duration of their stay. But even after their mission with Oogway was over, and they had left the Valley of Peace, the fort remained, just in case they ever needed to return to the Valley. These days, no one went by it anymore, and it had just been gathering dust for the past two centuries. But now it seemed that the crocs planned on using it for the newest scheme.

Tigress turned to Shifu, her face concerned. Po gulped, he knew they were deep in trouble. Tigress was hardly ever concerned about anything. So seeing the using confident and superior kung fu master this troubled about something worried him as well.

"What do we do master? We can't just hand them over the relics, we'd never see them again", Tigress asked. Zhong's safety meant just as much to her as it did to the others. She had really come to respect him as her teammate and her friend over the past year. But she also knew what would happen if they permitted the croc bandits to get their greedy claws on the Jade Palace's treasures. They would sell them on the black market for easy money, and history's greatest artifacts would be lost forever.

"But we can't let them hurt Zhong either", Shifu replied, his voice equally as unsure. The old master sighed. "We can't try to free Zhong with our usual surprise tactics. Nor can we try and distract them either. The crocs know us all too well by now. Fung would notice if one us were missing", Shifu added.

"Even Mantis?", Viper asked.

"Even Mantis", Shifu replied.

The room fell silent again, and everyone turned to look at Shifu with a look of pity and sympathy in their eyes. This was so unlike Shifu. The old panda was usually so angry, and so determined when he sent his students out on missions. But tonight, he seemed so helpless, so defeated. And Tigress knew why. Even though he was a bit tough on his pupils, Shifu cared a lot about them, and she knew it always hurt him whenever one of them were captured, or put in serious risk of dying. It turned him into a completely different person.

Jimbo, who everyone else had completely forgotten about by this point, looked up at the old man with sympathy. Being a father himself, he understood Shifu's needs to put his students' safety before anything else.

"Well then, we have no choice. We'll have to give them the treasure, and hope they hold up to their end of their bargain", Po said, his voice just as hopeless as Shifu's.

"But you know they won't", Mantis reminded him.

"If they don't, we'll just have to take Zhong back by force, and maybe save some of the artifacts while we're at it", Po said. "Shifu, what do you think?", the panda asked, turning his head towards his master.

Shifu paused for a moment, before nodding. "You have permission to go through with your plan panda. You may start gathering the relics from the Hall of Warriors", Shifu said.

Po was about to walk off dejectedly, when the sound of someone else talking stopped him.

"Wait, there is one other option you haven't considered yet", Erdan said.

Po, Shifu, and the Furious Five all turned to raise their eyebrows at the boy. They had all forgotten about his presence. Just like with Jimbo and Shu, the wolf cub had slipped from their minds once they started talking about Zhong.

"Which is?", Shifu asked, deciding to humor the boy.

"You said you can't rescue Zhong because the crocs would notice if one of you were missing. Well, they don't know about me. None of them have ever met me, except for the ones I helped put away in Chor-Gom. I could rescue Zhong while Po and the others distract the crocs", Erdan suggested. And then the wolf cub cringed, as the reaction he thought would happen happened, only three times louder than he had expected.

The room exploded with shouts of anger, disbelief, and contempt. However, it was Shifu's enraged voice that stood out the most among the crowd. "ARE YOU INSANE BOY?!", Shifu bellowed.

Erdan flinched again, but spoke louder once he composed himself. "This is what you've been training me for. This is the whole reason I've been learning kung fu, so I could go out on missions and help people", Erdan reasoned.

"You've still too young. And you're just beginning to learn the basics. I would be a fool to let you risk your life on something you're clearly not ready for", Shifu replied. He was still angry beyond belief, but he wasn't shouting anymore, which meant he was at least a little calmer now, and that was a start.

"But Shifu…", Erdan insisted.

"But nothing!", Shifu snapped, cutting Erdan off. "I've made up my mind, and my word is final. Now I want you to go back to the village, and wait there until this mission over!", Shifu commanded, pointing his finger towards the door.

Erdan stared at the old panda, surprised, before his face twisted and contorted. By the time the boy spoke again, his expression was a mixture of anger, sadness, disappointment, betrayal, and determination. "Look Shifu, I'm coming on this mission, whether you want me to or not", Erdan growled. Since Shifu obviously wasn't going to listen to what he had to say, the boy was past reasoning with him, and was starting to grow angry with the old master.

Everyone in the room gasped, and Shifu raised his eyebrow. No one had ever disobeyed Shifu before, no one besides Po anyway, and they had ever expected such insubordination from such a young boy. "Erdan, I told you to leave", Shifu stated again, his patience with the boy running out.

"And I said no", Erdan growled, not afraid of the old panda (although he probably should have been).

By now, Shifu was hanging onto the last thread of his patience he had left, and walked over to Erdan, fighting back the urge to grab the boy and drag him back to Mr. Ping's by force. "This if for your own good Erdan. Don't make me have to make you leave", Shifu warned, through gritted teeth.

"I'd like to see you try", Erdan taunted. Deep down, the boy knew he had gone way, way, way, _WAY_ over the line between student and master. But he also knew he didn't care anymore. Nothing, not even Shifu, could make him back down this. It was far too important to him.

Pretty soon, Shifu and Erdan were standing only a few inches apart, while Po, Shu, Jimbo, and the Furious Five watched anxiously on the other side of the room. Every single one of them wanted to step in and break up the fight, but they all knew better than to try and get involved.

"Are you really going to fight me over this boy?", Shifu threatened. Even though Erdan was twice his size, and towered over the old man, Shifu was still twice as menacing, and seeing Shifu this angry was enough to make the boy flinch a little.

"Yes", Erdan replied, staring daggers at the shorter animal. He tried not to think about the fact that this was Master Shifu he was threatening. Shifu, the man who had reminded him it was okay to cry. The man who had taught him and his father that emotions were what made them human, and here he was, fighting with him. He felt so guilty, but at the same time, determined, because he knew what was on the line.

"You know you can't win", Shifu reminded him.

Erdan took a deep breath. This was his last chance to back down. After this, there was no going back. Not that going back was even an option for him in the first place. "I know. But I also know that if fighting you means I can help save my dad, I don't care what you do to me", Erdan replied, remembering Kenny and James' words to him that afternoon. As he was speaking, the boy's face was colder and harder than anyone had ever since it, easily rivaling Shifu's death glare.

Shifu fumed for a few moments, before sighing, and calming himself down again. "I would never hurt a child. But I won't let you get yourself killed either", Shifu said. The red panda then turned back to his students. "Po, Tigress, take him back to village, and make sure he stays there until the night is over", Shifu ordered.

"NO!", Erdan screamed, as he saw the two animals approaching him.

"Sorry Danny, but it really is for your own good", Po said guiltily, as he and Tigress continued to approach the boy. Pretty soon, they surrounded him, preventing him from trying to escape.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!", Erdan shouted, as he struggled in the bigger, older animals' hands. But he knew it was no use. Kung fu masters had a vice grip, and the boy had no chance in hell of escaping until they wanted to let him go.

Tears of rage and sadness flowed down the boy's cheeks as the two masters lifted him off the ground and started to carry him away. He turned his head back towards Shifu, who was the watching the whole spectacle with a look of pity.

Shu ran to Shifu's side, horrified. "Shifu, is this really necessary?", she asked him.

"The boy has made it quite clear that this the only way we can make sure he'll stay safe", Shifu replied.

"Shifu please! You have to listen me!", Erdan pleaded. However, the old master ignored him, and started to walk off in the opposite direction.

"Shifu, please! You have to understand! I watched my whole family die!", Erdan continued, now practically praying that Shifu would listen to reason.

To Erdan's surprise, the boy's pleas managed to get Shifu to stop this time, but he still didn't turn around. Noticing that Erdan had managed to gain Shifu's attention, Po and Tigress stopped walking, allowing the boy to finish what he had to say.

"I had to just stand by and let them be killed, because I couldn't do anything to help them. And then I was on my own. And when I finally found Zhong, the first person I let myself get attached to for months, I lost him too, because of that monster Shen! And now I've found him again, and this happens!", Erdan sobbed, his voice cracking.

"Do you have any idea what if feels like to be so helpless all time? To just bide your time, waiting for something to happen to the next person you love? I may have been helpless to save my family and Zhong before, but I have the skills to do something helpful now. For the first time, I know enough about kung fu that I can pitch in and help with the fight, instead of just standing by like a coward and watching my loved ones die! I lost Zhong before, and I won't lose him that easily again!", Erdan continued. Although he was still crying, his voice sounded a lot more determined now.

Erdan continued to cry, his chest aching every time he simply breathed in and out. He forced his tear-stained eyes to concentrate on Shifu, who's look of pity was even stronger now.

"I understand you wanting to help Erdan, but it's just too risky. Zhong would want you to stay here and be safe", Shifu said, his voice a whole lot softer than before, but still had an edge of firmness to it.

Erdan's heart sank. Nothing had changed. Nothing at all. Shifu's decision was the still same, and nothing could budge him. Subconsciously, he felt Tigress and Po let go of his arms, and realized that Shifu had motioned for them to release him. Now that the boy had reined in his anger, Shifu figured he wouldn't do anything crazy anymore, and thus there was no need to hold him back any longer. Erdan already felt bad enough, without having to be carried back to the village like an infant.

Erdan lifted his head, and looked at Shifu one last time. This was his last chance. His spirit was already broken, if Shifu denied him one more time, he'd just give up and abandon all hope like the old man wanted him to.

"Shifu, I thought you, of all people, would understand why I'm doing this. I thought you would understand how much Zhong means to me", Erdan whispered.

Shifu walked up to the boy, confused. He watched as Erdan wiped the tears away from his eyes, and stood up on his feet again. "What do you mean?", Shifu asked calmly.

"Po never could keep a secret. He told me about your dad. About everything that happened between you and Shirong", Erdan explained, sniffling.

"_**The Doctor's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Shock rippled across Shifu's face, and he glared at the Dragon Warrior, who proceeded to awkwardly join his friends in the corner. When Shifu turned back to look at Erdan, his face was molded into the stoic mask he usually wore when people tried to talk to him about his past. However, Erdan knew his words had gotten to him, and he knew this was his best chance of getting Shifu to understand.

"He told me all about how you went to go save him from Tong Fo, even though you knew it was probably a trap. After everything he'd done to you, after he had abandoned you and you thought he had forgot about you, you still went to back to go save him, even if it meant risking your own life. You did what any son what have done", Erdan continued, sniffling as wiped away the last of his tears.

It took Shifu a while to answer. And Po guessed it was because he was really considering the boy's words, instead of just shrugging them off as the desperate ravings of a child. "That was different. I've been training in kung fu all my life. I can handle myself, but you're still just a child", Shifu reasoned.

"There is no difference. You would done the same if you were eight or eighty. If your dad had been kidnapped when you were kid, you would have still gone to save him, even if it meant facing Tong Fo and every one of his croc bandits. Because if family isn't worth taking that risk, than what is?", Erdan said, before (to everybody's shock), the boy went as far as to place his paw on Shifu's shoulders.

Shifu looked up at Erdan, the boy's blood-shot eyes filled with unashamed pleading. "Please Shifu", the boy begged one last time. At this point, he knew Shifu would probably say no. And if he did, the boy would just walk off back to the village, not even bothering to argue any further, or try to put up another fight. And then he would go back to Mr. Ping's, lock himself in his bedroom, and wait for another one of his friends or family to die.

After a few moments of thinking, Shifu finally blinked, and Erdan knew the old master had made his decision. However, his heart broke into a million tiny pieces, when he realized Shifu's expression hadn't changed. His words had had no effect on him at all. His youthful voice had never even had a shot at being heard. But just when he thought he was going to break down again, Erdan was unprepared for what Shifu had to say next.

"You may go", the red panda said simply.

"WHAT?!", everyone in the room said at once.

Erdan blinked, and hope returned to his eyes for the first time in several minutes. "Do you really mean that?", he asked.

Shifu nodded. "You and Zhong obviously have a connection that cannot be broken, even by me. And if you really think you can help, I have no right to stop you", Shifu said calmly.

As soon as she realized Shifu was serious, Tigress decided it was time for her speak up, and walked towards the pair. "Master, you can't really let Erdan go with us against the croc bandits. What if he gets hurt? What if something happens to him?", Tigress asked.

"Then it would be on my hands, and my hands only", Shifu replied, unfazed by his oldest students' concerns. Once Master Shifu made up his mind about something, it was extremely hard to get him to change it. Unless you knew how to appeal to a person's better nature, like Erdan did.

"Thank you! Thank you!", he choked, before he ran forward and hugged the old panda around the waist, crushing Shifu with his body.

Everyone gasped again in surprise, and Erdan's snapped open, as he realized what he was doing. The wolf cub immediately released Shifu from his grip, and backed away as quickly as he could. "I'm so sorry master. I forgot about your personal boundaries", the boy said, embarrassed.

"Think nothing of it", Shifu replied, obviously just as uncomfortable as Erdan. He then decided to it was best to change the awkward subject. "Students, if Erdan really does has a plan, we all need to memorize it as quickly as possible", Shifu ordered.

Erdan couldn't believe he had actually done it. He was finally going to get to fight for once. And as much as he wanted to run out the Jade Palace and rescue Zhong right that second, he knew he had to stick the plan he had so quickly thought of, if the mission was going to have any chance of success.

"Okay, Master Shifu, in one of your stories, you said Oogway was friends with General Mako. You also said he helped with construction?", Erdan asked.

"Just the third floor. Mako and his men had already finished most of the base when a storm hit, and Oogway helped them to finish the roof in time", Shifu clarified.

"So he would have had a copy of the blueprints?", Erdan asked, his grin growing wider.

Shifu's face lit up. Just like the boy, hope started to return to the old man's eyes, as he realized what Erdan was suggesting. "They're in the library, with the other scrolls", Shifu said, before walking off towards the hallway as he fast as he could go while using a cane.

When he finally reached the hallway, he called out into the empty corridor, knowing the sound of his voice would echo across the palace. "Zeng, I'll be able to find them faster if you help me look", he shouted.

"Shifu, wait!", Shu suddenly said.

"What is it? Time is of the essence", Shifu asked, growing impatient again. He glanced at the she-wolf, to see her sporting a grin remarkably similar to Erdan's.

"If Erdan's coming on this mission, I'm coming too", Shu announced.

"WHAT?!", everyone shouted.

"Shu, this is crazy", Po reasoned.

"Are we really going to go through this again? I can help", Shu groaned, as Po and the Furious Five surrounded her.

"How? Are you gonna make clay weapons for us to use against the croc bandits?", Mantis asked sarcastically.

Shu frowned, before grinning, almost smugly, at the little bug. "Erdan?", she asked.

"I'm on it", Erdan replied. Before anyone could stop him, the boy ran outside and disappeared into the darkness. After a few minutes of waiting impatiently (well, that was Shifu's case anyway, everyone else was waiting anxiously for him to return), Erdan came back with a large brick in his hand. "Is this what you wanted?", he asked, his grin somehow wider.

"It's perfect", Shu replied, before taking all the weight off Erdan's hands.

"Perfect for what?", Mantis asked.

While Shifu walked off to help Zeng look for the blueprints (deciding he would deal with whatever Shu had in mind later), Shu turned to face Mantis again. "Perfect for showing you why I don't lock my doors at night", she replied, before raising her paw, and bringing it down on the cinder block in a blink of an eye.

**((()-()))**

Zhong groaned, as the wolf's consciousness slowly returned. As his senses started to come back to him, he noticed a dull pain in the back of his head. No doubt the spot where the one of the croc bandits had hit him with a hammer. "_Is this what Po felt like when I hit him? No wonder he's always talking about it_", Zhong thought, groaning.

As his thoughts went back to Fung and his men, Zhong realized for the first time that he couldn't move his arms or legs. After being a prisoner of war numerous times, he instinctively knew that his limbs must be tied to his body with some rope. Double knotted from what he could tell. The crocs must have really not wanted him to escape. He was tempted to look down and check. But he didn't dare move, let alone open his eyes, knowing that he could be anywhere by now. There was a good chance he wasn't even in the Valley anymore.

He could hear voices nearby, and pointed in his ears in the direction the sounds were coming from, hoping to make some sense out of them. It didn't take him long to realize it was Fung, and some other croc, arguing.

"I can't believe you did something so risky!", the mystery croc scowled.

"I had to let Po and his lame friends know about the ransom somehow", Fung scoffed, unfazed by his underlings' complaints.

"Yeah, but chasing that goat guy all the way up to the Jade Palace?! You could have gotten yourself caught and ruined all our hard work!", the mystery croc continued, only growing angrier with every excuse Fung tried to make for himself.

Even though Zhong kept his eyes closed, he raised his eyebrow a little. He had had never heard one of Fung's men speaking to their leader like this before. He couldn't believe Fung would let one of his goons go that far.

"Hey, you should just be glad we have Zhong, just like I promised. But if you think you can do things so much better than me, then why don't you lead this gang, Ling?!", Fung snapped, growing tired his lackey's backtalk.

"_Ling, so that's his name? I don't know who this guy is, but if he's pissing Fung off, I like him better already_", Zhong thought, chuckling mentally.

When Ling didn't answer, Fung only scoffed in amusement. "That's what I thought. Now just go stand guard outside with Gary", Fung ordered.

Zhong couldn't see what was happening, but he guessed that Ling begrudgingly obeyed, because he could hear the sounds of footsteps growing more and more distant, until they stopped completely. And then, Fung said something that made Zhong's heart skip a beat.

"What's so funny wolf?", the croc asked.

At first, Zhong didn't understand how Fung had guessed he was awake, until the wolf realized he was smirking. A smirk that almost certainly hadn't been on his face when he had been knocked out earlier.

Knowing that the jig was up, Zhong thrust his eyelids open, and stared at the darkened room he was being kept in. Being an ex-soldier himself, it didn't take Zhong long to guess he was being held in some kind of military base. From the looks of it, he was being kept in the general's room. He looked down at his body, and confirmed his previous thoughts about being tied up. Except, he was wrong about one thing, Fung had not double knotted his arms. He had triple knotted them. Zhong smirked again, as he realized how afraid the crocs had to have been of him to tie him up so thoroughly. Any general knew that fear was an advantage that could, and should, be used easily over the enemy.

"Oh, nothing really. You know, being tied up does weird things to your sense of humor", Zhong retorted.

Fung grinned. "Don't worry, we were careful bringing you here. We only dropped on your head a few times the way over", Fung replied, though the smug grin on the croc's face made Zhong wonder if he was really joking. The wolf couldn't help but remember the pain in the back of his head when he woke up. The pain that was still throbbing faintly now.

"Besides, your _boyfriend_ Po will be here soon with the treasure, and then we'll let you go", Fung taunted.

Zhong frowned, and titled his head to side. "What? My boyfriend?", he asked, in disbelief, before throwing his head back in annoyance. "God, why does everyone always think we're dating?!", he said exasperatedly, temporarily forgetting about where he was, and who he was talking to.

Fung shrugged. "Well, you two have always seemed pretty close. And everyone I've talked to about it seems to think so too", Fung replied, unfazed.

The wolf scoffed, and growled at the croc. "So being a thief isn't bad enough, you gotta be a bigot now too?! Anything to improve you reputation among your boys?", he growled.

Fung flinched, and guilt washed over the croc's face. He then stuttered awkwardly. "I didn't mean it like that", he insisted.

"Yeah, sure you didn't", Zhong growled, rolling his eyes.

"When I said '_your boyfriend_', I meant it more as a statement than an insult. I got nothing against you gay guys. It's just, I've always been a ladies man. So it's only natural that I think two dudes making out is…weird", Fung babbled.

"Ladies man, please. You've probably never even kissed a girl", Zhong scoffed.

"I totally have", Fung shot back.

"You mom doesn't count", Zhong replied, grinning.

"I've kissed other girls beside my mom", Fung insisted, blushing now.

"I don't believe you", Zhong said, his opinion unwavering.

"Like you'd know anything about that anyway. You only have eyes on the Dragon Warrior. I bet he's the only person you've ever kissed in your whole life, wolf-boy", Fung said, grinning.

Zhong frowned. "I have a girlfriend", the one-eyed wolf said.

"I don't believe you", Fung said, mimicking Zhong's words from only a few seconds earlier.

Zhong growled, he couldn't believe he let himself walk right into that one. First he let Fung outsmart him in battle, and now he had let him outsmart him in an argument. It was official, the croc bandits were somehow getting smarter. And that worried him. Because what if the crocs weren't getting smarter? What if he was just getting dumber? "_So this is what if feels like to be Po_", Zhong thought, cringing.

And then, Zhong heard the sound of familiar footsteps returning, and turned his head around just in time to see Ling walk in the room. "What's all that noise in here?!", the croc demanded.

"You could hear us?", Fung asked, obviously embarrassed.

"The whole base could hear you! You shouldn't even be talking to the prisoner", Ling said, annoyed.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm the leader here, so I can do whatever I want", Fung said, rather immaturely (which was normal for him).

Zhong's grin returned, as he saw how frequently Fung and Ling argued, and over such little things at that. Despite what many people thought, soldiers were taught more than just different ways to beat people up and kill them on a mass scale. They were also taught about strategy. About how to grab an opportunity whenever they saw one. And right now, a big, fat opportunity had just presented itself to Zhong. And what kind of soldier would he be (retired or not) if he didn't take advantage of it?

After arguing with Fung for a few more minutes, Ling rolled his eyes, and grumbled something about how his teammates were incompetent idiots, before walking off to rejoin Gary at his post.

Once he was gone, Zhong chuckled, earning himself another glare from Fung. "Well, he's cheery", the wolf teased.

Even though he thought about just walking away, and leaving Zhong alone like he was supposed to, something stopped Fung from leaving - his desire to spite Ling. Besides, a lot of stuff had really been troubling him lately, and it would do the croc some good to talk to someone about it. Even if that someone was his enemy.

"Ling's always like that. Sometimes I think hiring him was a mistake", Fung replied, sitting down in a nearby chair.

"I've seen his type before. He's after your position. That's why he joined in the first place, so he could be the new leader of the gang", Zhong said, pretending to be interested.

"That's ridiculous. Ling knows his place, and he knows I'd never let that happen", Fung argued, trying to pay no attention to the wolf's words.

"Don't underestimate him. I was a guard for 30 years, and I've had more than a few guys in my pack challenge me for my position before. They're no threat alone, but it's when they get all their friends following them that you've got a real problem on your hands", Zhong insisted.

"Look wolf, what are you trying to say?", Fung asked angrily.

"I'm saying that you should keep a closer eye on Ling. He seems pretty keen on making sure this plan works so your little gang gets the treasure. He might even be planning on double-crossing you when it's over, and keeping all the loot to himself", Zhong warned. Fung opened his mouth to argue some more, but Zhong cut him off, wanting to get in one last word before the croc spoke again. "Remember, there's no honor among thieves. And I should know", Zhong said, grinning again.

The wolf remembered Po's words from the month before, about how he could get inside criminals' heads because he used to be one. He had just brushed off the panda's wisdom then, but now he realized Po was exactly right. He had no idea he could use being an ex-con to his advantage someday, but he was glad he could. Because messing with Fung was just so satisfying.

Instead of answering, Fung stood up, and mumbled something unintelligible to himself, before he walked away, obviously not wanting to talk to Zhong anymore. Zhong waited until the door closed shut, before his grin grew wider. He knew his plan had worked. Now that he had put the fear in him, he knew it wouldn't be long before Fung's paranoia got the better of him. Now all he had to do was wait, and bide his time.

But while he wanted to enjoy Fung's fear, he couldn't. Not when he was so worried himself. He was supposed to meet Shu and Erdan hours ago, but instead of coming home to them, he had been kidnapped. They had to be worried sick about him.

Being a kung fu master had been a whole lot easier when he was a lone wolf. Back when he no one to worry about, and nobody to worry about him. But he was a family man now, and he had responsibilities to Shu and Erdan.

Especially Erdan, who he had already hurt so many times before. What if one day, something really did happen to him on a mission, and Erdan was left all alone again, this time forever? He had promised Erdan he would take care of him until he was an adult, but what kind of father would he be if he got himself killed before that happened?

"_A pretty selfish one, that's what kind_", Zhong thought, hanging his head down in shame. Maybe he deserved to be stuck in this predicament. Maybe he deserved to be tied to a chair. Maybe he deserved all the '_boyfriend_' comments Fung had made about him. Well, maybe not the boyfriend comments, they were a bit overkill. But he deserved everything else.

**((()-()))**

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us you could do kung fu. The way you broke that brick was so awesome!", Po exclaimed, standing next to Shu as the she-wolf and her friends gathered in one big circle.

"Thanks", she said, before turning her attention back to Erdan.

Now that Shifu had found the blueprints Erdan had asked for, the boy was using them to make sure his plan would actually work. Po had to admit, he was a little worried that they were relying on a plan thought of by a preteen. But he knew how smart Erdan was, and he had seen with his own two eyes what the boy was capable of, so he trusted him with his life.

"_**UNIT**_" by Murray Gold begins.

After a few minutes, Erdan was finally finished, and turned back towards his comrades in battle. "Alright, here's the plan. We'll gather all the treasures of the Jade Palace, or at least the ones that'll fit in a burlap sack, and we'll take them to the croc bandits. Po, you and the Five will meet them out front. Fung will be worried you'll try and pull something, so he'll bring most of his men with him. And the less crocs there are guarding Zhong, the better", Erdan explained.

Po, Shifu, and the Five nodded, and Erdan moved onto the next part of his plan. The part that involved him and Shu. "Fung will want to know if the treasure's real, so you take your time showing him the contents of the bag, draw it out as long as possible. Maybe even get him talking. And while you're busy with that, Shu and I will go around the back, and climb the top of the fence with these grappling hooks", Erdan explained, holding up the grappling hooks Zeng had fetched for him along with the scrolls. "You do know how to use a grappling hook, don't you?", Erdan asked Shu.

"I've never used one of those things in my life", Shu admitted. "That won't be a problem, will it?", she asked nervously.

"Not a bit. I've never used them either, but tonight's as a good time as any to learn", Erdan replied, grinning. He then turned to speak to the whole group again. "Now if you notice, there are three of these instead of two. Once we've found Zhong, we'll go back the way we came, and climb over the wall again, where we'll escape to the safety of the forest. That way, we keep Zhong and the relics", Erdan concluded.

"Wait, what'll we do once you break Zhong out, and Fung realizes he's gone?", Monkey asked.

Erdan shrugged. "I don't know. To be honest, I didn't really get that far. I guess you guys will just have your run for your lives with us", Erdan admitted.

"I see some holes in that plan", Crane said anxiously.

"Yes, but right now it's the only plan we've got. And I like it better than no plan at all", Po said.

"There's just one problem. We're supposed to meet the crocs at midnight, but it's only 10:00. What'll we do until then?", Mantis asked.

"I'll guess we'll just have to wait. The good news is that I gives us pretty of time to sort out any holes in the plan", Erdan said, trying to be optimistic. But the truth is, he hated the idea of having to wait around for two hours to save Zhong just as much as his friends did. Maybe even more.

With that one last word from Erdan, Po and his friends dispersed, each deciding to find their own way to pass the awkward and tense two hours that were ahead of them.

Once most of the Five had left, Erdan saw Jimbo leaning against the wall, and for the first time in an hour, Erdan remembered the goats' presence. After begging with Shifu to let him come on the mission, Erdan had forgotten the goat was even still with them, and was surprised to see he had stuck around so long, just to watch them putting together their plan.

"This is a pretty selfless thing you're doing here kid. Going this far just to help your dad", the goat noted.

Erdan smiled a little, and walked to the old goat's side. "Of course I'm helping. Like I told Shifu, he's family", Erdan replied.

Jimbo seemed to think about Erdan's words for a few moments, before his expression suddenly became guilty. "I misjudged you. I thought you and your kind were just heartless monsters. But I see now that no monster would go this far to help his family. You and Zhong really care about each other", Jimbo said, though Erdan suspected he was really speaking more to himself than him. "I'm sorry…for everything", Jim said, his voice sincerely regretful.

Erdan's smile grew wider. "Apology accepted", he said simply. He had never been one to hold grudges. And even if he had, he still wouldn't have thought too much about his incident with Jimbo, not when he had much more pressing matters to worry about.

Jimbo breathed a sigh of relief, before smirking a little. "Thanks kid. You know, you're a whole lot easier to convince than your dad", Jim noted.

"Yeah, dad's always been pretty stubborn", Erdan said, chuckling.

"Still, he was willing to give me a chance to change in the end. But only if I really felt sorry for what I did to you", Jimbo added.

"And are you?", Erdan asked, raising his eyebrow. For a moment, he was worried that the goat's apology to him had meant nothing, and he had simply done just to ease his guilty conscience. But when he looked into Jimbo's eyes, he saw something beyond guilt in his aged corneas. He saw remorse and regret. The same time he saw in Zhong's eyes whenever the wolf was reminded of his past. Jimbo didn't even need to respond for Erdan to know the old goat was sincere.

"Yes", Jimbo replied. He had been neither too quick to answer, nor too slow. Another sign he was telling the truth.

Thinking about his conversation with Zhong reminded the goat of something Zhong had said to him, something that still confused him now. "Zhong said he was mostly mad at me because of the things I said about his kind. He told me that I had no idea what being part of a wolf pack meant. What did he mean by that?", Jim asked, confused.

Erdan looked at the goat for a few moments, trying to decided the best way to answer, before speaking. "It's kinda hard to explain. Wolves form packs for a lot of reasons. One reason is there's strength in numbers. Like you said before, fighting together makes us stronger, and makes us almost unbeatable if our numbers our big enough. I never got a chance to meet more than a few of Zhong's old pack, but from what I've heard, they were a force to be reckoned with", Erdan explained.

"But still, packs aren't all about fighting and killing. After all, most wolves don't like to start trouble, since we don't actually like being around other species. In fact, my old pack mostly kept to ourselves, and avoided the outside the world as much as possible", Erdan continued.

Jimbo listened intently. Erdan wasn't really answering his question about being part of a pack, mostly telling him stuff he already knew, but he could tell the boy was building up to something. Something important.

"Being in a pack is mostly about having a unbreakable bond with someone. Really being close with someone, and being able to depend on each other absolutely. Everyone knows each other, and everyone helps each other out when they need helping. We comfort each other in a tragedy, and we stick up for each other in times of crisis. I suppose you could say being part of a group is like a symbiotic relationship, where we all get something out of it. But me, personally, I like to see it as being part of one big family", Erdan said, sighing as he remembered all the wonderful times he had shared with his pack.

Erdan then turned his head, to look Jimbo straight in the eye. "When I first found out Zhong was bandit, I couldn't believe he could be so heartless. That anyone could be capable of all the heinous acts he had committed. But there was one thing I didn't know about him yet. Sure, he robbed. He stole. He pillaged. He even killed. But after everything he'd done, after living without a conscience for so long, he still loved his pack. He still stuck up for them when they needed their leader. He always made sure he never left a man behind in a raid, and he even loved them enough to betray his own best friend. But the ultimate test came when he sacrificed himself to try and save their lives. In the end, that selfish, cold hearted bastard was willing to change his ways just to protect his friends. That's how deep the bond of a wolf pack goes", Erdan explained, still staring Jimbo directly in the eye.

"I…I never knew he cared", Jimbo stuttered.

"Neither did I, until now", Erdan replied, finally lifting his head to look at the ceiling. "So if Zhong cared enough about his pack to risk his life for them, the least we can do is do is do the same for him. After all, me and Shu are a part of his family now, we're a part of his new pack. And whether Zhong likes it or not, we'll always be there to help him out when he needs us. It's what a pack does. It's what a family does", Erdan resolved.

"I just never thought you wolves could actually have a family", Jimbo said, still a bit speechless.

"Like Zhong said, there's a lot a things about us you don't know yet. But if you really want to know, all you have to is just open your mind, and look past our reputation. And whatever you find, don't forget to pass it on. Teach your sons to be open-minded as well", Erdan advised.

Jimbo smiled. He never thought he could hear such wise words coming from a preteen, but right now Erdan was speaking more like an old philosopher than a young boy.

Erdan looked at the man again, and then looked at the door. "You should probably be getting back to the village. It's past 10:00, and you should have been back to your hut hours ago. Kenny and James are probably tearing the whole village apart looking for you", Erdan suggested.

Jimbo hesitated. He didn't want to leave Erdan alone, not under circumstances like this, but it's not like he could do anything to help the boy anyway, so he slowly stood up, and started to walk towards the door. But before he touched the handle, he looked back at Erdan again. "I heard you talking to my sons this morning, about how you'd like to start over with them. Do you think we could start over too?", Jim asked, his voice hopeful.

Erdan grinned. "I'd like that. Though I'd have to teach you about a wolf pack all over again", the boy said, joking lightly at the end to take his mind off Zhong.

Jim smiled too, but then hesitated for a second time. He really didn't want to leave Erdan. The kid looked like he needed company really badly at that moment.

Noticing Jimbo's hesitation, Erdan started waving, as a sign for him to keep moving. "Go, your sons need you", Erdan reminded him.

Jimbo nodded, and finally opened the door, letting in the cold night air. "Take care of yourself kid. I'll see you again soon", he said, before closing the door behind him.

Erdan continued to wave, until the door closed shut completely, and he was all alone again, with two hours to kill until his plan started. He didn't know how he'd be able to stay sane until then, not when his every waking thought was about Zhong, who was probably being tortured at that very moment.

At first, he thought about sleeping the next two hours away, but then dismissed that thought when he realized that would require clearing his mind, which was obviously impossible right now. Unfortunately, that meant meditation wasn't an option either.

Finally, he realized what he really wanted at that moment was to get away from the Jade Palace, and look for something important to him. Something that had been important to him for quite some time. And if it could help him get through the six months of pain, it could surely help him get him through two hours.

Erdan looked around him, even though he knew there was no one else in the room, and started to walk towards the door. As quietly as he could, Erdan slipped the giant doors open, and stepped outside. He then pushed the doors close behind him, and started running down the stairs on all four. Eventually, he remembered he was supposed to be killing time, and started to walk down them on two legs instead or four. He wasn't really worried about getting caught. After all, Shifu had said they would leave in two hours, not that they all had to stay at the palace until then.

As the partially-full moon shone over the Valley of Peace, Erdan once again found himself heading into the village, this time going straight to his current place of residence - Mr. Ping's noodle shop.

_**Author's Note:**_

Pretty crazy chapter, huh? And talk about an emotional ordeal for Erdan. In chapter 12, when Erdan talks to his friends about how his family died, you may have noticed there were a few things left unresolved. Including Erdan's desire to learn kung fu so he could help his friends in battle. Although he doesn't always show it, Erdan, like Zhong, has a condition called 'survivor's guilt'. Lots of people have suffered from it throughout history, including deceased country star Waylon Jennings (1937 - 2002). And as a result of his guilt, Erdan is very determined to help save others in the way he could not save his family. That determination has always been an important part of his character, even in Wolflover's original fic. So it's only poetic that this story would end with Erdan's first mission being to help save his dad, something he wasn't able to do before. Besides, I think it's time Danny finally get some closure for what happened to Zhong and his family, don't you?

Erdan also mentions Shifu's dad, Shirong during his breakdown. I actually thought about mentioning Shifu and Shirong's relationship back in early chapters, when Zhong was trying to think of a way to apologize to Erdan. But I eventually decided it would work best towards the end. "_**The Doctor's Theme**_" also returns in that moment. Although Zhong isn't present in the scene, the return of his music represents Erdan's unbreakable bond with his father, and his desperate need to convince Shifu to let him help. This is actually the last time you'll hear Wolf Boss' theme for quite some time. It won't be present in my fics again until "_**Lazarus**_" (more on that later), when Zhong's character is fully explored.

I've also told you before that Fung came off a bit out of character in the past, so I wanted him to be lighter in this one, and bring in some of that awkwardness and immaturity he has on the TV show. So, I thought, what's the most awkward conversation you can possibly have with someone? And the 'I'm not gay' talk was the first thing that came to mind. Why, you might ask? Because, it's been way too long since I made a 'boyfriend' joke about Po and Zhong. Sure, it's a bit unnecessary, but if this is the end of the story, I'm gonna make sure I still have a little bit of fun in-between all the angst. Plus, it flowed right into the conversation Zhong and Fung have about Ling (which actually is important to the plot), so hopefully it wasn't too distracting. Oh, and just for the record, neither Fung or Zhong are bigots. Fung always has been one to speak what's on his mind, even if it's disturbing to others ("You don't look so good. Are you gonna barf?"). So if Kung Fu Panda wasn't a PG show, I suspect Fung would be a lot more straightforward on other, more controversial things as well.


	20. Chapter 20: The Enigma of Zhong

_**Chapter 20: The Enigma of Zhong, the Wolf Boss.**_

"Erdan, do you have any idea how late at night it is?! You were to supposed to be back hours ago!", Mr. Ping shouted, glaring at the wolf-cub who was currently rummaging through the drawers in Po's old room.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that Mr. Ping. I had intended to come back a long time ago, but stuff came up. In fact, I'm not even staying right now. I just came by to pick up something before I leave", Erdan explained, as he used his razor-sharp night visions to search every inch of the drawers in the dark. Finally, he found was he looking for. An old, tear-stained piece of parchment. He shoved it in his pocket, but still no made effort to turn around and look Mr. Ping in the eye.

As Mr. Ping realized what Erdan was saying, the goose's face softened, and his anger was replaced by curiosity. "Leave? Where are you going?", he asked, concerned.

"Mr. Ping, I'm going to tell you something, and before I tell you, I want you to know I've already made up my mind and there's nothing you can do to change it", Erdan warned.

"Erdan, where are you _going_?", Mr. Ping repeated, really starting to get worried now.

Erdan took a deep breath, and turned around to face the goose. "Zhong's been kidnapped by Fung's gang. Po and the others are meeting the croc bandits at midnight, and I'm going with them", Erdan explained. The boy then watched, as the usual signs of shock started to appear. Mr. Ping froze, the blood drained out his face, he started to stutter over his words, etc, etc.

Just when it looked like the old goose was finally going to say something, Erdan deliberately cut him off. "Mr. Ping, before you try to tell me I can't go, remember I already told you nothing can change my mind. Zhong's my father, and if Po and the others are going to risk their lives to save him, so am I. This is what I've been training for", Erdan reasoned.

Mr. Ping glared at the boy for a few seconds, before sighing. He was still clearly troubled by the idea of a boy as young as Erdan going into battle, but he knew the wolf cub had already made up his mind about what he wanted to do, and there was no way to stop him. After all, there was nothing he could do to stop his son in situations like these. "Po always used to say the same thing to me", he told the wolf cub.

Erdan kneeled down, so he could speak to Mr. Ping face-to-face. "And just like Po, I'll be back by the morning. I promise you, and a wolf always keep his promises", Erdan said reassuringly.

Mr. Ping nodded, and Erdan cracked a smile. The boy stood up, and started walking towards the door. "Besides, you don't really think I'd get myself killed before my next paycheck, do you? I've worked way too hard for that", he added jokingly, before disappearing out the door.

Mr. Ping's smile grew into a full-blown grin. The boy had a pretty sick sense of humor, even in the face of death. Just like his father.

**((()-()))**

Po tiptoed down the Jade Palace's hallway. After noticing Erdan was missing, the panda had spent a whole hour searching the Jade Palace for him. After coming up with nothing, he was just about to tell the others about the wolf's cub absence, when he heard a soft humming noise coming from the hallway. He checked every bedroom, from his to Tigress', until he realized the humming sound was coming from the other end of the hall.

He peered into Erdan's old bedroom, and found the wolf cub sitting on the floor, singing to himself and staring at an old piece of paper. It didn't take Po long to recognize the tune he was singing.

"_**When someone in the dark reaches out to you, and touches off a spark that comes shining through, It tells you never be afraid. Then somewhere in your heart you can feel the glow, a light to keep you warm when the night winds blow! Like it was written in the stars, I knew…my friend, my someone in the dark was you**_", Erdan sang softly, before glancing at the semi-full moon that hung outside his window.

Po leaned over a bit farther, hoping to get a better view of the parchment Erdan was holding, when the wolf cub spoke up, taking him by surprise. "You can come in panda. The door's unlocked", Erdan said, unfazed by Po's presence, like he was only semi-aware the panda was even there.

"You remember Zhong's song?", Po asked, as he walked to the pup's side.

"Every word. I had to find some way to pass the time, so I figured I'd entertain myself until midnight", Erdan replied, as Po sat down next to him.

"You know, this is actually the worse part of a fight. In all the kung fu stories I know, the worst part of battle is always waiting for the bad guy to strike. It's like when you're sitting at home, hiding in the basement while you're waiting for a hurricane to come. You know it's gonna hit soon, and you know it's gonna be bad, and you know a lot of people are probably gonna die. But you can't do anything stop it, so you just want to get all the death and destruction over with as soon as possible. But it never works like that", Po mused, the panda having one of those rare moments where he was surprisingly deep.

"I hear you panda. I feel so useless sitting here, waiting for hours to go by. Still, at least we only have thirty minutes left", Erdan sighed, glancing at the moon. It was nearly at it's highest point in the sky, which meant midnight was almost there. He, Po, Shu, and the Five would wait just a little while longer, and then they would set out for Mako's base. With their lightening fast speed, Erdan knew it would only take Po and the Five ten minutes of running to reach their destination. However, he wasn't worried about whether or not he could keep up. What he was worried about was whether or not his plan would actually work - because Zhong's life depended on it's success.

"Where did you go when you disappeared?", Po asked, curious.

"To get this", Erdan replied, holding his mystery paper to Po's face so the panda could read the writing on it. To Po's surprise, he realized it was the letter Zhong had written to Erdan, shortly before his demise at Gongmen City bay. "Zhong's letter. I thought you threw that way?", Po asked, confused.

Erdan sighed again, this time out of shame, and put the letter back in his pocket. "I thought about it. But it had been a part of me for so long, my most prized possession, that I just couldn't let go of it, even after I found out Zhong was still alive. After you gave it back to me, I put it in my backpack until I moved into Mr. Ping's. So instead of burning it, I ended up putting away in your old bedroom, and forgetting about it for a month. I'm such a hypocrite", Erdan stated sadly.

"What you makes you say that?", Po asked, really confused now.

"Because only two days ago, I told Zhong that he shouldn't be so quick to torture himself with memories of the past. But I can't let go of it either. Like father, like son", Erdan replied, in a matter-of-factly tone.

Po stared at the troubled youth for a moment, and placed one of his massive paws on the boy's shoulder. "Erdan, we're gonna get your dad back. We've been through far worst times than this", Po said reassuringly. However, his words seemed to have little effect on lifting Erdan's 'optimistic' mood.

"Don't worry about me Po. Worry about Shu. She hasn't come out of Zhong's bedroom in over an hour. I think she might be crying", Erdan replied, obviously worried about the she-wolf.

Po looked towards the door. When he had been searching the palace, he had saw Shu sitting in Zhong's room, but he had thought nothing of it. He had just assumed that she was trying to kill time like everyone else. But he had never even considered the possibility that she would be hurt by Zhong's capture just as badly as Erdan. What kind of friend was he? "I should probably go check on her", he decided, standing up.

But before he could get far, Erdan's paw was on his hand. "Po wait, let me talk to her. I know what she's going through right now, so I might be able to comfort her", Erdan suggested.

Po hesitated for a moment. His first thought was a 14 year old had a slim chance of comforting a 27 year old woman, but then he remembered it was Erdan he was talking to, and nodded his head in agreement.

**((()-()))**

Erdan stepped into Zhong's bedroom, and found Shu exactly where he remembered seeing her before - sitting on Zhong's mat and staring at the one-eyed wolf's armor. "So it puzzles you too?", the boy asked.

"From the day I first found it. I know I should be horrified because of all the blood that's probably been stained on it, but I can't help but wonder how well it fit him. I bet he was quite handsome in uniform", Shu said, albeit a bit guiltily.

Erdan chuckled, and sat down next to Shu. "You're not only the one with questions. Personally, I always wondered how a guy like him got together with a gal like you. I mean, no offense Shu, but when you first came to the Valley of Peace, did you ever picture you'd fall in love with an ex-con?", Erdan asked.

To most, it would have just seemed like Erdan was trying to change in subject, so Shu could take her mind off Zhong's kidnapping. And that partially was the reason why he was asking. But under the false, false pretense, he really was sincere about his question. It was something that had been pestering him ever since he first learned about Zhong and Shu's relationship. It was the only thing left about his dad that didn't make sense. And like always, Erdan couldn't help but let his curiosity get the better of him.

Shu wasted no time in answering. "Not in a million years", she replied promptly, though the grin on her face clearly showed that she was glad it happened anyway.

Erdan raised his eyebrows. This still didn't satisfy his curiosity. Instead, Shu's reply only seemed to present more questions than answers. "Zhong told me the story of how he met you. How you accepted him, and how you went with him to the Winter Feast. But what was it like? From your point of view, I mean. How did you feel when you first met Zhong?", Erdan asked.

Shu raised her eyebrow, surprised. "Why do you want to know?", she asked.

"It's just…when I first learned Zhong was a thief, I was anything but happy to see him. It took me ages just to even talk to him again, let alone forgive him and move on from the incident. So I just can't picture someone being okay with that in just one day. It just doesn't make sense to me", Erdan explained.

Shu grinned a little. "You're a pretty smart kid Erdan. You like to look at a problem, think it out, and then try to solve it once you've gotten all the information you need. That's why my relationship with Zhong bothers you, because it's the first mystery you can't solve. But the reason it stumps you is because you're thinking about it with your head, and not your heart", Shu explained.

"What do you mean?", Erdan asked, confused.

"You've never a girlfriend before, have you?", Shu asked.

Erdan blushed, before shaking his head.

"That's why it doesn't make sense to you. Because you've never loved a girl before. And love isn't logical", Shu continued.

Erdan thoughts about Shu's words for a moment, chewing them over, before replying. "Then tell me what love is like. Tell me about everything that you felt those first few days. I know I probably won't understand, but I'll sure give it a try", Erdan suggested.

"Alright then", Shu said, before glancing out Zhong's window. Judging by position of the moon, it seemed they still had a few minutes left until 11:45, which was when Po and the Five would set out for battle.

"It all started when I moved here last winter. I left my hometown because I wanted to open a business of my own. By leaving my village, I got my first taste of independence", Shu began.

Erdan grinned a little. He understood where the wolf was coming from. The whole reason he had taken the job at Mr. Ping's was because he wasn't to learn how to independent, even if it was at a somewhat young age.

"I wasted no time in buying a shop downtown. After I cleaned it, and moved all my stuff in, I went out to buy groceries. My very first taste of food that wasn't home cooked by my family. I thought that the holiday season was gonna be life-changing for me. And I was right. Cause when I was walking back home, that's when I met him for the first time", Shu continued, her story becoming more and more introspective with each sentence.

"He bumped into me when we were walking down the street. He was talking to his friend, the Dragon Warrior, so I guess he didn't see me coming. I didn't see him either cause I was looking at my produce. He was tall and handsome, but surprisingly goofy for a man his age. He froze up when he saw me, and for a moment I worried that he was in shock or something", Shu chuckled.

Erdan laughed with her. He had known Zhong enough now to know the wolf was a lot of things, and goofball was one of them. Especially when he was nervous.

"His friend told me he was okay, so I went home to finish setting up shop. But instead of forgetting about him, I dreamed of him that night. My thoughts were centered around a total stranger. But that was only the first of many times I'd dream about Zhong", Shu continued, though Erdan suspected she had forgotten by now he was there with her.

"A few days later, I had to go to the shop again. And when I walked out, I saw him there waiting for me. My guess is that he saw me go in, and spent fifteen minutes waiting out in the cold for me to come back. Or that simply he stumbled onto me by accident. Either way, he wasn't being very subtle about his affections. After all, a guy doesn't just freeze his tail off helping a girl with her groceries unless it's for a reason. But I thought it was kinda cute seeing a grown man act just like a love-struck puppy, so I accepted his offer to help me carry my bags. I wanted to get to know him better, just like how he wanted to know me", Shu explained, chuckling again.

"When we returned home, I couldn't help but notice that he didn't want to talk about his past. Like he was afraid of even mentioning the subject. But I didn't call him on it. After all, a man deserves his own privacy. But it wasn't until I noticed he had lost an eye that he told me everything on his mind. What I heard next horrified me", Shu continued.

Erdan stared at her sympathetically. It didn't take much to guess what the she-wolf had felt when she first heard Zhong's story.

"At first, I couldn't believe it. How could this goofy, funny man-child possibly be a cold-blooded killer? How could I allow myself to fall in love with a killer, someone I only met a day ago? I knew I should have been angry. I knew I should have thrown him out of my house, and told him to stay away from me before he killed me next. But when he told me about how he died, none of those things were on my mind", Shu mused.

"All I could think about was how sorry I felt for him, and how brave he had been over the past few months. First, turning his back on his best friend, and then regaining the Dragon Warrior's trust. He had done so many impossible things in such a short amount of time, I couldn't help but be impressed by it all. Despite everything Zhong said about himself, I knew he had an iron will, and a soft heart underneath it all. And despite all odds, I knew that nothing he said could ever make me look at him as monster", Shu whispered.

"_**The Sad Man With A Box**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"We dated for a few days, before he finally asked me to join him at the Winter Festival celebration. It was an enormous honor. I had only been living in the Valley of Peace for a week, and I had not only found love, but I was going to get to meet some of the greatest kung fu masters in all of China. And Zhong would be by my side the whole night. My beloved", Shu sighed happily, as she remembered Zhong's nervous invitation to the most prestigious event of the season.

"When I arrived, he was dressed formally. I had never seen anyone look so awkward, and so handsome before. He was clearly uncomfortable. Being a military man, he had probably never worn anything so formal in his life. But he tried not to show it, wanting me to have great time with him. That's how much of a gentleman he was", Shu continued.

Now Erdan was really surprised. He had never pictured Zhong being a gentleman. He had never even thought that was possible. He knew Zhong and Shu's relationship was a fun and casual one, but he had never been able to picture Zhong sitting still through something as formal as the Winter Feast, especially since he could barely contain himself during a simple portrait painting. Then again, maybe those monthly trips Zhong took into the jungle worked better than he thought they had.

"He must have planning to tell me he loved me for a long time, but just couldn't think of the right time. Cause when we went to Winter Feast, he looked nervous and fidgety the whole time. Like he desperately wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the right words. For a moment, I was afraid he was going to burst. And he did", Shu said, laughing again towards the end.

Erdan smiled. Zhong had told him this part of the story as well, but had been a bit more sentimental in telling it than he had all the other parts. Perhaps it was one of his fondest memories of the Winter Feast, if not the most embarrassing.

"There's nothing more romantic than a guy saying that he loves you in front of a whole crowd of people. It's what every girl dreams of. Every girl except me of course. If it had been any other guy besides Zhong, I would have found the whole thing really embarrassing, and disrespectful to the kung fu masters who had allowed me to come. But it was Zhong, and the whole grand gesture, even if it was unplanned, blew me away", Shu said, grinning.

"He really did love me. I couldn't believe that out of all the girls in the world, out of all the she-wolves out there, someone like Zhong would fall in love with me, an ordinary girl from a small town. I wasn't a soldier, or a kung fu master, I was just a shopkeeper. But the way he looked at me, it was like he thought I was the most special thing in the world to him. And no one had ever loved me that way before", Shu said, sighing happily. She then turned towards Erdan, who was growing more and more fascinated with every minute.

"I don't tell this to a lot of people, but when I was a kid, I used to have a major crush on a boy. I loved him to pieces, but he didn't feel the same way about me. On Valentines Day, he was supposed to take me to the village dance. But he never came. I sat there on the porch for hours, waiting for him to show up. Finally, I went down to the village to see where he was, and I found him dancing with another girl. He had just forgotten about me, like I never even existed. That was the first time a guy broke my heart, and I've never been with another man since. Not until Zhong anyway. And he showed me that I had been right to wait for the right guy", Shu said, a small tear rolling down her cheek.

The she-wolf wiped it away, while Erdan looked at her sympathetically. He knew that with love sometimes came heartbreak, but what that guy did to her was just plain awful, and downright despicable. Erdan was only just a boy, and even he knew that no man had the right to do something like that to a woman, even if he didn't love her.

"Later that night, Zhong asked if he was right the man for me. Without a doubt in my mind, I told him yes, and we spent the rest of night together playing in the snow. Like we were kids again, and every horrible, traumatizing moment we had both been through had never even happened. That was truly one of the best nights of my life. And it only got better from there", Shu continued, leaning ever further against the wall. She glanced at the window again, to see the moon was a little bit higher in the sky now. It was almost time.

"The following night, Zhong took me to Mr. Ping's for the noodle festival. It's this really fun gathering that Po and his family have every year. The noodles were amazing. And when it was time for the folk dances, Zhong looked like he was going sweat right through his clothes…in the middle of winter", Shu said, her smile returning.

"Later he told me that he didn't know how to dance, but his inexperience really didn't show that much. I'll never forget how he spun me around the dance floor, our feet moving perfectly in tune with the music. He looked like an old pro. And he kissed like one too. My lips felt like they were fire when we kissed under the mistletoe. It's days like those that you wish would never end", Shu said sadly.

She turned towards Erdan again. "That's what love is all about. Finding someone you connect with. Someone you wish you could spend the rest of your days with. Someone who brings out the best in you, and you the best in them. Love is something that'll never die. And it's one of the few things in life that truly lasts forever", she said, placing her paw on Erdan's shoulder.

Erdan grinned a little. For the longest time, he had stared at Shu, wondering why she would want to stay with Zhong, even after finding out who he used to be. What she saw in him used to perplex the boy so much. Now he couldn't believe he had ever had such foolish thoughts. Zhong meant everything to her, he was her better half. He was the fire that kept her going everyday, like she was his. Erdan had known what it was like to love a family member, but for the first time in his life, he knew what it was like to find a soulmate. And he couldn't wait for the day he found his. He hoped someday he could experience the same happiness Shu had found last winter.

Erdan stood up, and pulled Shu to her feet, as the moon continued to grow closer to it's highest point in the sky. "Shu, I promise you that before tonight is over, we'll get Zhong back. No matter what happens, no matter what it takes, Zhong is coming home with us", Erdan declared, the boy's voice more determined than ever. "We both have too much to lose if we fail", he said, growling.

And then, the boy heard the sound of the door opening again. Shu and Erdan turned around to see Shifu standing in the door. "It's time", the old master said simply.

The two wolves needed no further explanation, and walked past the panda. The hallway was expectedly crowded, as Po and his friends made their way into the Hall of Warriors.

"Danny boy, do you have what you need?", Po asked.

"I've checked and double checked. We've got the bows, arrows, ropes, and grappling hooks. Do you have the treasure?", Erdan asked, opening his backpack so his friends could see it's contents.

Po held up a burlap sack, and revealed that he had crammed a large number of objects inside it. Many of them Erdan recognized as artifacts that were usually sitting on pedestals in the Hall of Warriors. "Everything from the Dragon Chalice to the Blades of the Twin Weasels. Don't worry, Shifu made sure I didn't put anything dangerous in here. The last thing we need is the crocs getting their hands on the helmet of the invincible thunder king, or the jar of demons", Po said, shuddering.

With that having been said, Po, Shu, Erdan, and the Five gathered into a circle, with Shifu at the center of the group, as usual. "Students, are you all ready for this?", he asked, clearly concerned. After all, why wouldn't he be? His pupils, his children, were walking right into danger while relying on the plan of a fourteen year old boy who they only met the month before.

After several nods, murmurs, and shouts of agreements emerged from the crowd, Shifu took it as a consecutive 'yes', and pushed open the doors to the Jade Palace. "Then go my pupils!", he said fiercely, though you could still hear a hint of worry in his voice.

One by one, the Furious Five ran out the door, with Shu and Erdan leading the group, until only Po remained. He looked at Shifu one last time, and the two shared an uneasy look. "Panda, before you go, I'd like to tell you something. Like the boy said, Zhong means a lot to all of us, and we all have too much to lose if we fail. Erdan and Shu would be especially devastated. So you must not fail", Shifu warned.

Po nodded, before grinning. "You know me Master, I wouldn't dream of it", the panda replied, though just like Shifu, you could still hear a hint of worry to his voice. With that, Po ran past Shifu, and chased after the others. Shifu watched as all eight animals disappeared down the stairs, and closed the doors once they were out of eyesight. "I hope you're right panda", he whispered.

**((()-()))**

Erdan sprinted down the Jade Palace stairs, bounding step over step effortlessly. The boy, along with Shu, was now running on all fours, wanting to get to their destination as quickly as possible. After two hours of waiting, it was finally time to set his plan in action. All they had to was run through the village, and it would be clean dash, non-stop, to the fort where Fung and his men were keeping Zhong.

So imagine how surprised all eight animals were, when they found the streets were filled with villagers.

"What the?!", Monkey asked, shocked.

Seeing that there was no way around the road block, Po, the Five, and the wolves all slammed on their breaks, just barely avoiding flying into the crowd.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Po recognized one of the villagers blocking their path was…his father. "Dad, what are you doing?", he asked, confused.

"Erdan told me about what happened to Zhong son, and Jimbo told the others. We wanted to wish you all good luck before you left", Mr. Ping explained. The old goose then walked up to Po, and held the panda's hand. "Take care of yourself son", he said.

"I always do", the panda replied.

Behind him, the Furious Five watched the touching moment with mixed feelings. Some, like Tigress, thought they were wasting time, and should get back to the mission as soon as possible. Others were touched by the bond Po and Mr. Ping shared, and wished they had family members nearby they could have moments like that with.

Erdan was part of the latter. As much as he really wanted to get back to saving Zhong (and was tapping his foot subconsciously out of impatience), he also had to admit it was touching how Mr. Ping always wished his son good luck before a mission. It showed just how much the goose cared for his son.

Noticing that Erdan was staring at him and Po, Mr. Ping turned in the wolf's cub direction. "They've come to wish you good luck as well", he said.

Confused, Erdan turned around, to see Fang, the Hao family, and the Yungs were all waiting for him on the other side of the street. Surprised, Erdan ran over to talk to them, and the Yungs were the first ones to greet him.

"You're always quick to run into danger, aren't you boy?", Howard asked, grinning.

"I'm just finishing what I started on Valentines Day. Fung won't get away from me this time, not after he kidnapped my dad", Erdan replied.

"Well just be careful", Lila added.

"I usually try to be. But it doesn't always work", Erdan replied, his grin growing impossibly wider.

The Yungs then stepped out their way, so Jimbo and his sons could speak to Erdan.

"I see you took our advice to heart, huh?", Kenny asked.

Erdan nodded. "You were right. Sometimes you have to do crazy things for family", the boy replied.

"Just don't start killing people, okay?", James requested.

"Killing's not really my thing", Erdan replied, a bit confused by what the goat was asking of him.

"Good, cause you won't exactly be proving anything to anybody about how good wolves can be, if you start getting all trigger-happy with that bow and arrow of yours", Kenny said, before cracking a smile.

Erdan laughed, and patted both goats on the back, before turning to their father, Jimbo.

Jim smiled a little, and eyed the boy from top to bottom. "You're so young, and you're already brave enough to do what most men can only dream of doing. You were right, the kids of today are getting bolder", Jimbo said.

Erdan waved his paw in the air dismissively. "I'm sure you were even bolder when you were a kid. After all, you were brave up to stand up to Zhong. Only a guy with a death wish would do that", Erdan reminded him.

This managed to cheer a Jimbo up a little, the old goat's lips started to turn upwards ever so slightly. "When you find your dad, make sure you let him know I kept my end of the agreement", Jimbo requested.

"I will", Erdan promised. "And will you keep your end of _our_ agreement?", the cub asked.

The old goat nodded. "The next time a wolf appears in the Valley of Peace, I try to give him the benefit of the doubt instead of accusing him of being a thief", Jimbo promised, though there was still a hint of guilt to his voice. Erdan doubted the goat would ever fully forgive himself for what he did. At least, not without Erdan's help. The boy's advice always seemed to wonders for people for some reason.

"Good man", Erdan proclaimed, before walking past the goats, and talking to his last three greeters - the Hao family.

Fang's mother was very emotional about the boy leaving, and her husband was just as worried about his safety, but also somewhat proud that his son was the best friend of a hero. Speaking of which, Erdan looked down, to see Fang waiting impatiently for his turn to talk. "Alright Fang, you're the last one. So just get it over with", the boy sighed, though that toothy grin remained on the wolf's face.

"So you're finally ready for combat, huh? I knew Shifu would come around eventually. I just didn't think it would be this soon. Oh wait, yes I did. I told you something big was gonna happen today", the rabbit said, almost gloatingly. Still, Erdan could tell that under Fang's usual teasing, he was still just as worried as the others.

"I wish I could come with you. But my mom would never let me go. And it would be the perfect way to pay off my life debt too", he said, before frowning at his mother, who proceeded to elbow her son in the stomach for even suggesting something so crazy and foolhardy.

"It's for the best, the less people there are on this trip, the less chance there is of someone getting hurt", Erdan replied.

"I guess", Fang said. The rabbit would clearly be sulking like this all night, and probably most of the next day, but Erdan was glad to have his company for the moment. Having a friend around somehow made even the most stressful of situations all the more easier to bare.

After Po and the Five were finished talking to their friends, they all gathered in one big circle again, ready to set back out on their mission. Erdan glanced at the villagers, his friends who had all cared enough to leave their huts in the middle of the night just to tell him good-bye, and threw them one last, longing wave, before he and his friends started running again. Pretty soon, they were back to full sprint, and disappeared down the street. The villagers wouldn't see them again until the morning. If they even came back at all.

Once they were gone, the crowd started to disperse, dozens of sleepy villagers returning to their own huts for the night, even though there was a good chance neither of them would get any sleep that night. Most likely, they'd stay up for the rest of the night worrying about what would become of their Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five, and the young boy who, all-too-eagerly, rushed into danger with them. Mr. Ping knew that's what he would be doing until Po returned.

"Come on Fang, let's go home", Mrs. Hao said. However, when the boy didn't reply, she turned around to see the spot where Fang had been standing was now filled with nothing but empty air. The only trace that the rabbit had even been there was his tiny footprints in the snow.

"Fang?", she asked, worried. She then turned to her husband. "Gerald, where's our son?!", she asked, panicked.

"I thought he was with you", Gerald replied, equally alarmed.

And then, a cold chill ran down both rabbits' spines. And it wasn't just because of the cold night air. They had both just realized what must have happened to their son. Because during all the commotion, and tearful good-byes, neither rabbit had kept a particular eye on Fang like they normally would have. Which is why they didn't see him sneak off and disappear into the crowd. And also why they didn't see him climb onto Erdan's backpack, open it, climb inside, and then seal it shut again before the boy left. And unfortunately for them, the wolf cub remained just as oblivious to Fang's scheme as his parents.

Like Fang had said, that night was the perfect opportunity to not only go on a real kung fu mission, but to also pay off his life debt to Zhong. Fang knew he would be in all kinds of trouble when he got back, but the boy figured it was well worth it. Because like Erdan had said that morning, chances like these come around only once in a lifetime.

_**Author's Note:**_

No, the name of the music featured in this chapter wasn't a typo. "_**The Sad Man With A Box**_" really exists, and it's a not-so-subtle variation on "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_", the romantic music I chose to represent Zhong and Shu in chapter three. Ever since that blissful morning in Shu's kitchen, variations of "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" have been appearing throughout this story, in tracks such as "_**The Wedding of River Song**_" and "_**A Cab For Amy Pond**_". They represent Zhong's new life as a family man, rather than being a lone wolf all the time. But Zhong's love theme climaxes in this chapter, when Shu talks about how she first met him, and how she fell in love with someone she shouldn't have. How she came to adore a man that everyone else was frightened of.

Although Shu's role in this story might have seemed small compared to Zhong and Erdan's, she's still a very important main character, and her love for the one-eyed wolf has helped to support the entire plot, even in smaller ways that you may not have noticed. After all, wasn't it Shu who found Zhong's armor in chapter four? Not only allowing us to learn about his past, but also occupied most of the chapter's length with her thoughts? Shu, along with Mr. Ping, has actually been one of my favorite characters to write for, and I was glad I finally got to shine the spotlight on her before Erdan and his friends went to battle.

The name of this chapter is a reference to chapter four, "_**The Rueful Tale of Zhong, the Wolf Boss**_". An enigma is a mystery that deeply confuses you, and Zhong has been the source of Shu and Erdan's confusion for quite some time now. The music and the title adds to the sense of coming full circle, as a lot of Shu's story-arcs from the early chapters climax here. Oh, and by the way, Erdan got Zhong's note back from Po in the beginning of chapter ten, in case any of you were wondering why it just disappeared from the story for ten chapters and suddenly reappeared here. And stowing away on a mission is totally the kind of crazy, suicidal thing Fang would do (trying to take on Hun Dun after you just saw the Dragon Warrior get his butt kicked, really Fang?).

The next three chapters will be posted next week. They'll revolve around Erdan's battle with the croc bandits, and will continue to resolve plot elements that have been sewn throughout the story. This time they'll be mostly about Erdan. So…who's ready to see Erdan go to battle for the first time? And who's ready to see some crocodile tail get kicked?\


	21. Chapter 21: The Great Escape

_**Chapter 21: The Great Escape.**_

General Mako's base sat, undisturbed, in the middle of the bamboo forest. The brick wall that surrounded the building on all sides protected it from enemy fire just as it had for the past two centuries. Only this time, the bad guys were on the other side of the wall.

Fung looked on anticipantly, as one of his teammates joined him in the general's room. "So what do you see? Are they here yet?", the lead croc asked.

"No. And it's almost midnight boss. Maybe they're just not coming", the subordinate croc replied, his voice a bit nervous.

Fung smirked, and turned to grin at his prisoner. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Maybe we should have picked someone Shifu would actually care about", Fung said mockingly. But beneath his smug exterior, the croc was worried. Very worried. They had risked everything on the slim chance of this plan being a success, including his reputation as a leader. So if it didn't work, he was as good as done for.

"They'll be here", Zhong growled, undeterred.

After another few minutes of waiting, Zhong's determination paid off, when a third croc joined them. "Boss, they're coming!", he panted.

Both Fung and Zhong's faces lit up, and both animals breathed a sigh of relief (though for completely different reasons). Fung turned towards Zhong, the croc's grin growing even wider. "You stay here, and don't move", he joked, before walking off, ignoring Zhong's growls of anger after him.

"_I knew it would work. I don't know why I ever doubted myself_", Fung thought smugly. As he walked down the hallway, Fung beckoned towards his underlings. "You three guys, come with me. You two, stay here and make sure he doesn't try anything", Fung ordered.

The croc joined his men at the front gate of the fort, while Zhong watched with angry eyes (or rather angry eye). Fung then closed the door to general's officer behind him, blocking Zhong's view of the hallway, and leaving only two of his men to guard their prisoner.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, Erdan watched as a few crocs circled the fence, guarding all sides of the base in case Po or the Five tried one of their surprise tactics. Little did they know that Erdan had anticipated this. The wolf cub was currently watching them, hidden in a nearby tree, while his friends faced Fung up front. He knew they could only stall the croc a few minutes, five if he was lucky, so it was now or never for the plan.

Erdan reached into his backpack, intending to grab his bow and arrow, when his paw came in contact with something soft and squishy. "Ow! Watch it!", a familiar voice exclaimed.

Erdan froze. He recognized that voice. Everybody knew who that voice belonged too. But there was no way Fang could be here with him. It was impossible. He had left the little bunny and his family back in the village. Unless, Fang had stowed away in his backpack. "_Oh no. Please, god no_", Erdan thought, as the cub frantically reached into his backpack and pulled Fang out by the ears.

"What are you doing here?!", the wolf cub snarled, though still being careful to keep his voice down.

"I'm here to help you save Zhong. Life debt, remember?", Fang reminded him.

"Are you completely crazy?! Your mom will kill you and me if she found out you came along with me on this mission!", Erdan growled, angrier than the rabbit had ever seen him.

Fang flinched, a little hurt that his friend didn't want his help, before he scoffed. "Fine, just take me back to the village", he said angrily.

"There's no time for that. Just get back in the backpack, and keep quiet until I tell you to come out", Erdan ordered. Before Fang could have time to argue, his friend had already shoved him back inside his backpack and zipped it up.

**((()-()))**

"Panda, long time, no see", Fung greeted sarcastically, before grinning to the five-six croc bandits that surrounded him. Once they were sure Po and all the Five were inside, the crocs closed the front gate, trapping the kung fu warriors inside until they decided to open it again.

"Hi Fung. Has it really been a month since we last kicked your butts?", Po replied, continuing the conversation the best he could to buy Erdan some time.

Fung grumbled, not having a witty reply to counter Po's insult, before walking closer to the panda. "Just have your friends line up, I don't any of you trying to pull something. And that includes the bug too. I wanna see every one of his little feelers", Fung said.

Po raised his eyebrows, and glanced at Mantis, but followed the croc's orders. The Furious Five did the same, and just like how Fung had his eyes on them, they refused to let the croc and his gang out of their eye-sights for more than a second, even to blink.

"Are you all here? Panda?", Fung asked.

"Duh", Po replied, grinning at the ridiculousness of the croc's question. However, Fung chose to ignore him, and turned towards Tigress.

"Angry cat lady?", Fang continued.

Tigress only growled in response.

"Monkey boy?", Fung asked.

Just like Tigress, Monkey only remained silent, but nodded his head in reply.

"Bird brain?", Fung continued.

"My name's Crane. And yes", Crane replied, frowning.

"Don't care. Snake girl?", Fung continued.

"Right here", Viper said.

"And the cricket?", Fung asked.

"I'm a praying mantis! And if you wanna know if I'm here, why don't you come closer and see for yourself?!", Mantis snapped, practically daring the croc to come and taste his fury.

"Um…no thanks", Fung replied, obviously shaken up by the little bug's intensity. Then Fung's smug grin returned to the croc's face. His plan was still working perfectly. All six kung fu masters were there, which meant there was no chance of a sneak attack. Even if a fight did break out, it would still be on Fung's turf, on his terms. "Alright Po, let's get right down to business. Do you have the treasure?", Fung asked.

The panda gulped, and started walking towards Fung with his burlap bag. "_Erdan, Shu, I hope you guys know what you're doing_", he thought anxiously.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, Erdan grinned, as one of the croc bandits finally moved into the right position. He had been watching the crocs pace back and forth for three minutes, waiting for one of them to line up with the path of his arrow (plus it hadn't helped he had to deal with Fang's distractions). But now it was finally time for action.

"_**UNIT Rocks!**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Erdan released the arrow from his grip, and watched it soar through the air, colliding with the wall only a few inches from one of the croc bandits' head. Alarmed, the croc immediately turned around to see what had almost hit him - which was just what Erdan had wanted him to do. The croc heard the sound of footsteps behind him, before he was clobbered over the head by Shu, striking him straight in the center of his head like she would with a brick. Luckily, the crocs were very hard-headed, and the hit didn't cause him anywhere the same damage it had caused the brick, only knocking him out for the moment.

His partner turned around, stunned to see the she-wolf had joined them, before he was suddenly knocked down by a second attacker - Erdan, who had leapt out of the tree once the second croc was distracted.

Unfortunately, Erdan hitting the ground caused some of the objects in his backpack to get jostled around a bit, including Fang. "OW!", Fang shouted, as one of his friend's arrows clobbered him over the head.

"What was that?", Shu asked, as she laid the second croc's unconscious body next to the first's.

"Fang", Erdan replied, as he reached into his backpack again.

"Fang?! What's he doing here?", Shu asked, alarmed.

"It's a long story, and I don't have time to explain. So long as he stays in the backpack, he won't complicate things. Now, take this grappling hook and follow my lead. Or I'll follow yours. Whichever one of us figures out how to use these things first", Erdan explained, as he handed the she-wolf her rope and hook.

Erdan spun the rope around his head, like a wild west cowboy, before throwing it as high as he could, while still aiming for the top of the fence. Of course, he missed on his first try, that was to be expected, and the results for Shu's first try was pretty much the same. In fact, it took the wolves several tries before Erdan finally snagged his hook on the top of the fence. Shu's successful try came not long after.

Once he was sure the hook was properly secured, Erdan tied the 20-foot long rope (the same one used for his tight-rope test) around his waist, and started to scale the wall. "Hang on Fang. This is when things are gonna start to get bumpy", Erdan ordered.

"But they're already bumpy", Fang complained, as everything in the backpack (including him), was flipped upside down by the change in gravity.

Erdan laughed, as he climbed higher and higher up the wall, every once and awhile looking down to see how well Shu was doing. It was funny, being this high up scared him to death during his test the other day. But now, he barely paid it any attention. Maybe it was for the same reason he was always able to conquer his fears during a crisis. Because his adrenaline rush and his determination to save Zhong was pushing everything else out of his mind at the moment, including silly thoughts like his fear of heights.

After a few more seconds of climbing, Erdan reached the top of the fence (which was mercifully built out of bricks, meaning that he had enough room to plant his feet), and helped Shu finish reaching the top.

"Okay Fang, we're gonna have to jump again now. The arrows in my backpack are sharp, so there's no telling what they'll do when I hit the ground. I want you to grab onto one of them, and hold on like your life depends on it. Got it?", Erdan commanded.

"Got it", Fang replied, the rabbit's voice unusually compliant.

Erdan peered over the edge of the fence and saw that, just like the other side, there were crocs pacing the perimeter, guarding the back door to the fort. If he and Shu timed their jumps just right, they could take out both crocs at once.

Erdan and Shu waited a few moments, knowing all too well that each second wasted on the fence cost them valuable 'saving Zhong' time, before both wolves took the plunge.

Shu landed first, taking the croc bandit by surprise as he was crushed under the she-wolf's weight. Erdan landed a millisecond later, flattening his croc upon impact. Before either bandit had time to realize what was happening, their heads were slammed into the ground, knocking them unconscious like their teammates on the other side of the wall.

Once they were sure the crocs were out cold, Erdan and Shu ran towards the fort's back door, though being careful to make sure there wasn't anyone on the other side before they opened it. Luck was on their side that day, as Fung had decided two guards on one side of the door had been more than enough. After all, he only had 15-20 crocs left in his gang, and he didn't want to spread them out too thin. He would want to have as many of his gang at his back as possible when he faced Po. Erdan's plan had worked perfectly. Most of the croc bandits were out front, backing up Fung, making it easier for him and Shu to reach Zhong in the back.

Erdan pushed open the door, and beckoned for Shu to go through. "Ladies first", he said, grinning.

"Already a gentleman at such a young age? I don't know why you don't have a girlfriend yet", Shu said, as she walked past the boy.

Erdan shrugged, and followed his foster mother inside, not bothering to close door behind him since they'd just be going through it again in a few minutes. But as they were leaving, they didn't notice the two crocs starting to stir on the ground, one of them rubbing his sore head as he watched Erdan and Shu go inside.

**((()-()))**

Po hesitated, as the panda continued to walk towards Fung. He needed to stall Fung for just a little bit longer. The more time he could buy Erdan, the better. But how? "Before I come any closer, how do I know you'll keep your promise. You've lied to me before", Po asked, making a valid enough point for Fung not to reason it was just a distraction tactic.

"You have my word that your precious Zhong will go unharmed. Well, mostly unharmed", Fung added, chuckling as he remembered how Gah-Ri had clobbered the wolf over the head before.

"You're a thief Fung. Thieves lie, so your word means nothing", Po replied, unfazed.

Fung sighed, and raised a hand to his face, before frowning at the Dragon Warrior. "Look Po, you're gonna have to trust us on this. And even you don't, it's still the only way you're ever Zhong again", Fung reasoned, his frown being replaced by his smug grin again.

"I guess", Po asked, feigning uncertainty.

"Besides, how do I know you and friends aren't trying to pull a fast one yourselves? How do I know that you aren't expecting me to hand over Zhong while you give us a bag full of fool's gold or rocks or something?", Fung asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Fung, I'm the Dragon Warrior. Do you really think I wouldn't keep my word?", Po asked, laughing.

"Yes. Show me what's in the bag", Fung replied.

Po frowned himself this time, but did as Fung said, and opened the burlap sack. He then pulled out an artifact that Fung recognized as the Dragon Chalice - the sacred vase that was stolen by the Ladies of the Shade only a few years ago.

"Show it to me. I wanna know if it's real, and you're not just trying to pull my leg", Fung said.

"What, so you can just run off with it? I don't think so", Po replied, still stalling the croc bandit.

"Why would I want to run off with one vase, when there's a whole sack full of treasure in your hand? Seriously, and people say we're dumb", Fung reasoned, before grinning at his boys again, who all smirked at the panda's stupidity.

Po frowned for the third time, but once again did as Fung said, reluctantly handing over one of the Jade Palace's most prized artifacts into the hands of his frenemy.

Fung held the vase up to the moonlight, studying it intently like he actually knew what he was doing (although in reality he had no way of knowing whether or not the vase was authentic, and only wanted to make it seem that way to impress his men. The croc would take whatever edge he could get over Ling). "Look's real. Feel's real. Smell's real. Gary, come here and help me check something", Fung shouted.

Gah-Ri obliged, and walked over to his leader's side, confused.

"Bite it", Fung ordered.

"What?! But why?", Gah-Ri asked, shocked.

"Just do it Gary, we're burning moonlight. Oh, and don't hold back", Fung said, exasperated.

Gah-Ri frowned, but then took a deep breath, and bit down on the Dragon Chalice as hard as he could.

Half expecting the priceless artifact to be broken in half, Po looked away, not wanting to see what happened next. He wasn't the only one. Everyone else either flinched, or closed their eyes as they heard the, almost comedic, sound of teeth breaking.

When Gah-Ri finally let go of the vase, one of his incisors fell out of his mouth, and landed on the grass.

Fung grinned, and patted the croc on the back. "Good work Gary, it's real!", the croc boss said excitedly. Fung then turned back towards Po and the Five, who's mouths were still hanging open in shock. "Don't worry, I'm almost sure it'll grow back", Fung said reassuringly to his lieutenant, misquoting Gah-Ri's words to him after their last failed raid.

Po rolled his eyebrows, and turned back towards his friends, all of them thinking the same thing. That Fung and his gang were idiots. "_This stalling thing is easier than I thought it would be_", Po thought, his anxiety quickly fading.

**((()-()))**

Zhong sighed, as he listened to the sounds of the crocs talking outside the door. They were obviously talking about Fung, and how well the plan was going outside. Zhong would know for himself how well things were going, whenever the crocs untied him. If that ever happened at all. Zhong closed his eyes, and waited for the negotiations to come to an end. They seemed to be lasting forever for some reason.

Suddenly, the sounds of the crocs talking stopped, and the room went completely silent. Zhong's fur stood up again, as he realized something had to be wrong. "What's going on? What's happening?!", he shouted to the crocs outside. When there was no reply, he jerked his head around to get a full view of the room.

"Shhh", a familiar voice whispered.

This time, Zhong's entire mohawk stood up on end, and he turned his head around again, to see something he thought he'd never, and hopefully wouldn't, see. Erdan, grinning at his father, while tugging at the ropes that bound him.

"Erdan?!", the one-eyed wolf said, shocked.

"Hi dad", Erdan replied, before retracting his claws. The wolf cub then began to slice through his father's ropes.

"What are you doing here?", Zhong asked, his voice incredulous.

"Saving you", Erdan replied, as he started clawing away on the triple knot.

"And I'm helping", Fang added, from inside Erdan's backpack.

Although at first Zhong looked surprised and grateful that his son had come to his rescue. Then he looked angry. And then he looked downright furious. "You shouldn't be here. And you even brought Fang with you?! I can't believe Shifu let you do something like this. Is he out of his mind?!", Zhong demanded.

Erdan grinned, and glanced at his dad for a moment. "Don't worry dad, Shifu was a pretty hard guy to convince. Fang, however, snuck into my backpack while I was leaving the village", Erdan explained.

Zhong looked like he was about to say something else, when Erdan cut him off. "Dad, I'll have you loose in a few seconds, but you have to keep your voice down. Shu's keeping watch outside, but we still can't afford to attract any attention to ourselves. Po's already distracting Fung the best he can, and if he gets just one hint that something's wrong, it's game over", Erdan advised.

Zhong hesitated, but eventually nodded his head in compliance. "Shu's here too?", he whispered.

Erdan chuckled. "Of course. As soon as she found out you were in danger, she insisted that she come along, just like I did", Erdan explained.

"But she doesn't know kung fu. She could get herself killed!", Zhong whispered, worried.

"Dad, you'd be surprised by how well she can take care of herself", Erdan replied, as he finished slashing through the last layer of rope. He would have finished sooner if Fung hadn't triple-knotted Zhong's legs. "Okay, you're free. Try shaking them", Erdan advised.

Zhong did as the boy said. He then watched in amazement, as the ropes fell from around his body, landing softly on the ground. Zhong leapt to his feet, and stretched his sore, aching body for the first time in hours. He then turned to grin at Erdan. "Let's go", he said, before running out the door, with Erdan right at his heels.

Unsurprisingly, Shu was waiting for them, exactly where Erdan had said she would be.

Zhong glanced down at the croc who laid at Shu's feet, obviously knocked out cold. "You did that?", he asked, surprised.

"Yep", Shu replied, grinning.

Zhong raised his eyebrows, impressed, and for a moment thought about whistling. Until his common sense came back to him, and he remembered they were supposed to be keeping quiet.

"Okay, now comes the hard part", Erdan said, leading his family as they started running again, back in the direction from whence they came.

"Leaping off a fence wasn't the hard part?", Fang demanded from inside Erdan's pack.

"Nope, the hard part is doing it all over again, with a third person", Erdan explained, as he and his family sprinted down the corridor.

"Fourth person", Fang corrected him.

"Whatever. You know what I mean", Erdan sighed, as he and his family rounded another corner.

Unfortunately for them, there was one thing Erdan had overlooked in his plan. The crocs were hard-headed, just like he mentioned before. But part of being hard-headed meant being able to bounce back from a head injury a lot faster than other people normally would. When Erdan, Zhong, and Shu made it to another corridor, they were greeted by five angry crocs, the same ones they had jumped on before.

"What do we do now?!", Shu asked. The she-wolf was a good fighter, but she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against five croc bandits. Nor would Erdan. Zhong probably would, but a fight would just draw attention to their escape. And right now, their main priority was to get away, not to get caught again.

"Run!", Erdan shouted, before dashing around the corner again, with a fearful Shu, and a reluctant Zhong right behind him.

Three crocs followed after them immediately, while two stayed behind.

"Find the boss. Tell him the wolf's escaped", the fourth croc said, before joining the other three in chasing after Erdan's pack.

The fifth croc nodded his head, and started running in the opposite direction. Mako's base contained a mini-labyrinth of corridors, and unless you knew your way around (like Erdan and the crocs did), there was a good chance you could get lost in them. And unfortunately for the wolf pack, the croc bandits knew where all the shortcuts were, including the path to the front gate.

"What's going on?", Fang asked, as the rabbit was thrown back and forth inside Erdan's pack. When the wolf cub didn't reply, Fang grew impatient, and started pushing the pack's zipper upwards, opening it from the inside out. But as soon as he got the zipper halfway up, Fang was thrown backwards again. This time, there was no fabric wall to catch him, and he nearly fell to ground, only just managing to hang onto Erdan's flap. "Whoa!", he shouted, as the wolves ran past corner after corner.

Erdan was subconsciously aware of his friend's dilemma, but he knew there was no time to stop now, not now that their cover had been blown. If the crocs were blocking the back entrance, then their only option was to scale the wall on the front side, where Po and the others were currently stalling Fung. As much as he didn't like the idea of facing 20 croc bandits head-on, Erdan knew that escape was no longer an option, and they would all stand a greater chance of fighting the crocs as a united front. "Just hang on!", Erdan shouted.

"I am!", Fang snarled, scowling at his friend.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, Fung turned to his second-in-command Gah-Ri, who now sported a large gap in his teeth. "Okay Gary, they check out. Go fetch the prisoner so we can get the dough", Fung said, grinning.

Just as Gah-Ri turned around, the croc was knocked down by one of his teammates. He had just raced outside the fort in the direction of Fung and his gang. "Fung, he's escaped! The wolf escaped!", the croc shouted.

Fung's yellow eyes widened, and chills went down Po's spine, as the panda realized their plan was failing. "How?! We triple-knotted him!", Fung demanded.

"Someone helped him get loose", the croc replied.

Fung growled. If Po and the Five were all here, then that meant that Zhong's helper had to have been someone close to them. Someone they trusted, and could handle himself well enough to break into an entire fort filled with croc bandits. "It was Shifu, wasn't it?", he said exasperatedly.

"No, two other wolves. They climbed the back wall and knocked us out", the croc reported.

Fung paused for a moment, trying to make sense of what his comrade was saying. He then turned to glare at Po and the Five. "That girl Zhong was talking to the other day, one of them had to be her", Fung realized. "_Zhong said he had a girlfriend. Darnit, she's real!_", Fung groaned mentally, before focusing his glare on Po. "So much for not trying anything", Fung sneered.

Po quickly jumped into his kung fu stance, and his friends followed the panda's lead. "Sorry Fung, we figured it'd be best to double-cross you before you double-crossed us", Po replied.

"Get them! And the treasure!", Fung shouted, before charging at the Dragon Warrior.

**((()-()))**

Inside the base, Erdan and his family continued their mad dash, with Zhong insisting that they stop and fight every few seconds. "Don't worry, we're almost there", Erdan insisted, though the cub knew he was only lying just to keep his father from doing something stupid. Finally, the boy's worse nightmare came true, when the three wolves reached a dead end.

"This doesn't look the front gate", Fang said sarcastically, using the brief pause as a chance to climb on top Erdan's shoulder and get some safer footing.

When they heard the sound of someone clearing their voice, Erdan, Zhong, Shu, and Fang all turned around to see two crocs join them in the dead end hallway. "Got you", one of them taunted.

Zhong growled, and started to approach them, when Fang leapt off Erdan's shoulders, and ran past the wolf. "Don't worry, I've got this", Fang insisted.

"FANG!", Erdan shouted, as he watched his friend run right into danger - again.

"_**A Pressing Need To Save The World**_" by Murray Gold begins.

However, for once Fang seemed to know what he was doing. Because by the time Fang returned to Erdan's side, both crocs were lying on the ground, bruised and defeated by something as small and unthreatening as a rabbit. Erdan watched, as both crocs rubbed their sore groins, which were still bruised from being mercilessly kicked by Fang.

"Ooh", Zhong winced, as since the too-painful-to-look-at scene reminded him of his first sparring practice with Tigress.

"Really?", Erdan asked, raising his eyebrows at his friend as he walked back to his side.

"Hey, it worked pretty well on you", Fang shrugged, before hopping back on Erdan's shoulder again.

With that, the three wolves and the rabbit started running again, stepping over the bruised and battered crocs on their way out.

**((()-()))**

"We're not leaving here without Zhong!", Po shouted, from somewhere in the crowd of feuding warriors.

"And we're not leaving without that treasure!", Fung replied, though he couldn't really see where his foe was in the throng.

Finally, the croc bandit turned around to face the kung fu master who he feared the most - Master Tigress. The striped tiger growled at him, and Fung found himself gulping out of fear. "I'm not scared of you lady", he said, though his voice was uncontrollably shaking.

"Good. That makes this all the more fun", she replied, before leaping towards the croc bandit. All Fung could do was scream, and hold up his hands to block her, as the scorned woman tackled him.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, one of the croc's teammates was also being tackled by another aggressive creature. The croc bandit and a few of his friends had accidentally stumbled onto Zhong's pack in the hallway, and even though they were just as big and as strong as the wolves, they had still stood no chance in fighting them off.

Currently, one croc was being pinned to the ground by Zhong, while another received a kick to the face by Shu. And while the adults were fighting, Erdan and Fung found themselves staring down a full-sized croc, who had somehow backed them into corner. "Nowhere to run now kid", he chuckled.

Fung raised up his paws, until Erdan stopped him. "Let me handle this. I know what to do. Po taught me", the wolf cub whispered, and Fang reluctantly nodded, wanting to see what his friend had up his sleeve. And then to everyone's surprise, Erdan bent over, and started spinning on his head for some reason.

"That's what Po taught you? How to dance?", Fang asked, confused as to Erdan's break-dancing skills would help them.

"Huh?", the croc bandit asked, tilting his head to side. But before he knew it, Erdan stopped spinning and launched himself straight into the air, striking the croc bandit right in the forehead with his foot. The man rocked back and forth for a few seconds, before he toppled over backwards, knocked out cold for the moment.

As for Erdan, he leaned against the wall, and waited until the room stopped spinning, before he answered his friend's question. "Yeah. Po said you'd never know when having mad skills would come in handy. I guess he was right", Erdan said, before grabbing Fang's paw and dragging his friend in the direction of his parents, who had just finished taking care of their own opponents.

"Alright, let's keep moving", Zhong said. According to Erdan's memories of the blueprints, they only had two more corridors left to go now.

**((()-()))**

Fung groaned, as the croc was thrown backwards by Tigress, landing on two of his henchmen. Maybe taking on the psychotic one wasn't such a good idea. Currently, there were no winners or losers in the fight, since they were all equally matched for once. But the crocs were beginning to show signs of slowing down. And to make matters worse, Fung's rival, Ling, had just showed up out of the fray.

Ling rushed up to his boss' side, and indignantly pulled him to his feet. "Fung, why are we wasting time fighting them, when Zhong and his girlfriend are trying to escape?! Since we can't beat Po and the Five, why mess with the first plan? Instead of getting our butts kicked again, we should be trying to recapture Zhong, since he's the only leverage we have. And the only chance we have of getting any treasure", Ling reasoned.

Fung scowled. "I knew that", he lied, before turning back to the warring crocs. "Guys! Forget about them, we've gotta find the wolf and his girl!", Fung shouted, before opening the door to the main building. The crocs all nodded, and turned away from their opponents, running towards their anticipant leader.

"NO!", Tigress shouted, quickly running after the crocs to stop them as they disappeared into the base. Her friends weren't far behind. Unfortunately, Fung had the foresight to close the door to the fort behind him, and lock it before continuing, trapping Po and his friends outside.

"We can't let them reach Erdan", Tigress growled, before raising her hand to snap the wooden door in two. But before she could, the door knob rattled, and the door swung open again. Po and the Five resumed their kung fu stances, prepared to fight it out with the crocs again, when they realized who was on the other side.

"Danny boy!", Po grinned, as he ran up to hug the boy, and then Shu, before he nearly squeezed all the life out of Zhong.

"Panda, I know you're happy to see me, but we don't have time for this", Zhong groaned, which convinced the panda to finally let him go and allow him to breathe again.

"How did you get past Fung's men that fast?", Viper asked Erdan, confused.

"We were almost to the front door when we heard them coming. We hid in one of the corridors until they passed. It'll be a while before they realize we're not in there anymore, but they'll still be back soon. So we've got to move now", Erdan replied.

"We can't open the gate, it would take too long and they'd hear us leaving", Crane reasoned.

"Then we'll just have to get out the same way we got in", Erdan explained, before pulling his grappling hook out of his backpack.

"But you only packed three of those", Monkey reminded him.

"I did. But I was worried something like this would happen so I packed enough hooks for all of us. I told you waiting two hours would give me time to work out the holes in my plan", Erdan reminded them, before handing out grappling hooks to each of his friends.

"But I don't have one", Fang complained, as Erdan handed the last hook to Po.

"You'll just have to climb mine with me. If these ropes are strong enough to hold up the weight of a five hundred pound panda, a fifteen pound bunny shouldn't be a problem", Erdan resolved, as he spun his hook around in the air.

The boy turned towards his target - the railing on the wall. Like most military forts, there was a small platform built into the wall, which allowed archers like Erdan to fire upon intruders from above in case the fort was ever invaded. This would be the halfway mark for the boy and his friends as they scaled the brick wall. Erdan threw his hook forward as hard as he could, and watched in excitement as it snagged the edge of the wooden railing.

"Wait, this base is two hundred years old. Won't the wood just break under all our weight?", Mantis asked, uncharacteristically being the voice of reason for once.

"Don't worry, I read the blueprints. Since this is a military base, everything is made out of brick for extra strength. And the things that aren't are made out of ironwood trees, some of the strongest, hardiest trees in the world. Just ask Tigress", Erdan replied, before grinning at the striper master. Surprisingly, Tigress returned the grin, and followed the boy's lead, snaring her hook on the railing as well.

The rest of the Furious Five, after a few tries, soon followed. However, as the seconds continued to tick by, Erdan threw a cautious glance towards the fort every few seconds, waiting for Fung and his gang to reappear once they realized they had been tricked. He knew that Fung and his men were thick, and them realizing the truth obviously wouldn't come anytime soon, but he knew they'd catch on eventually, and he wished his friends would hurry up.

Once the last hook was snared, Po turned towards his friends. "Okay guys, we can only do this one at a time. Or in Fang's case, two at a time. Since we don't know when the crocs will come back, women and children will go first. Tigress, Viper, Erdan, Shu, and Fang, get going", Po commanded.

Though Tigress hesitated at first, not wanting to leave her friend/crush alone on the ground when she was clearly just as capable of taking care of herself as he was, she eventually obeyed, and started climbing.

Fang shimmied up the rope the best he could. But the rabbit's sweaty hands kept slipping, causing him to misplace his foot and slide back a few times, each time his heart skipping a beat as he lurched further backwards towards the ground.

Finally, the boy's worst nightmare came true, when he accidentally let go of the rope, and started free-falling through the air. "AAAHHH!", the adolescent screamed, as he watched the ground come closer and closer, faster and faster…until….

"It's okay Fang, I've got you", Erdan said reassuringly.

Fang opened his eyes, and realized the wolf cub was right. Before Fang could fall more than a few feet, Erdan had reached out and grabbed the bunny by his tail, saving him from certain death. Everything else, including the part about him hitting the ground, must have all happened in his imagination. "_Unless I really did die, and I'm just imagining all this_", Fang thought, grimacing.

"And _now_ you owe me a life-debt!", Erdan shouted down to his friend, grinning smugly, much to Fang's annoyance.

After a few seconds of climbing the wall (more of running towards the end), Erdan, Fang, and the girls reached the platform at last. Once they reached the top, they pulled themselves over the railing, and made sure their teammates' hooks were secured. "Okay, the rest of you guys can come up now!", Erdan shouted.

Though they were at least ten feet up, Erdan could Po, Zhong, Monkey, Mantis, and Crane all nod in agreement. And then, the wolf had to suffer another slow and anxious wait, as his father and his friends started to climb up their own ropes.

They had almost reached the platform, when Erdan noticed something that made his heart stop beating for the first time since they left the Palace. The sounds of the croc bandits shouting. With his supersensitive ears, Erdan heard Fung's angry voice long before the others did, and he knew his father could hear it too. "RUN!", the boy shouted.

Catching on quickly, the boys started to scale the wall faster, now running up the bricks rather than walking up them, while still making sure to hold onto their ropes. Once the boys' hands reached the edge of the railing, Erdan, Shu and Tigress all extended their hands towards their friends, while Viper and Fang helped the best they could.

The door to the fort flew open, and the croc bandits stormed out, angrily retracing their steps. "They've gotta be here somewhere!", Fung said.

"Face it Fung, your plan failed, just like all the others", Ling sneered.

"Well if I'm such a failure, then why did you even join us Ling?! Huh?!", Fung snapped, lashing out towards his teammate even though he already knew the answer to his question.

"Um, boss", Gah-Ri said, his eyes fixed on something in the sky.

"Not now Gary", Fung growled, through clenched teeth.

"But I know where the panda and the treasure are", Gah-Ri insisted.

At that, all traces of anger disappeared from Fung's face, and he whirled around in the direction Gah-Ri was facing. "Where?!", he asked excitedly.

"Up there", the subordinate croc replied, pointing towards the nearby platform. Sure enough, the wolves and the Furious Five were all standing on top of their platform, all of them pulling on Po's massive arms to try and pull the panda over the railing.

"How did they get up there?", Fung asked, shocked.

"Who cares? The point is, they have Zhong and the treasure, and we'll never be able to reach them. They're won, again", Ling said, his voice defeated.

"Did they?", Fung asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes", Ling growled, growing tired of his leader's idiotic questions.

"I don't think so. Cause I still have this", Fung replied, before pulling the Dragon Chalice from behind his back, and holding up in front of his teammates.

Ling and the other crocs gasped, as they realized Fung had indeed been holding the Dragon Chalice in his right hand the whole time. During all the excitement and fighting, they had forgotten that Po gave it to him earlier and never got it back (except for poor Gary, who had took one for the team to test it's authenticity).

"I'd say a lot people would pay a pretty penny for this beauty. It may not be all the treasure in the Jade Palace, but it's still enough to make us rich", Fung grinned, his expression smug and gloating.

"And we still have a way to escape, while Po and his loser friends are still trapped up there", Fung said, speaking mostly to the Dragon Warrior than he was his men (knowing that Po could still hear him talking). The croc then looked up, satisfied to see that Po and the Five now all had scowls on their faces on the faces.

Fung then pointed at something that was sitting in the corner, something that had been gathering dust there for the past two centuries. Rickshaws. Lots and lots of rickshaws. Mako and his men had often used these rickshaws to travel long distances. His soldiers had often commented that taking turns pulling each other's weights not only sped up their journey, but often times made it easier for both travelers.

"Boys, open the gate", Fung said. The crocs complied, and rushed over to the giant doors, taking at least of ten of them to push them open. It was a long and slow process, but Fung was patient for once, knowing that riches beyond his wildest dreams were all waiting for him on the other side. And they certainly weren't going anywhere, just like Shifu's students.

Erdan gasped, as he and his friends watched the scene unfold from the safety of their platform. They had no idea what to do now. They couldn't reach the crocs from where they were currently standing, which meant Fung was free to do whatever he wanted with the Chalice. And even if they climbed down to get it back, it would still take too long, and the crocs would be long gone before they even reached the gate.

"We've gotta get down from here", Zhong growled, reaching for his rope.

"It's too late", Tigress said, putting her paw in front of the wolf's chest to stop him. All ten animals looked down, to see Fung and his men taking their positions on the rickshaws. Some, like Fung, were sitting in the seats, while their teammates pulled. Fung's cart wasted no time in pulling off, eagerly leading the pack to freedom. Once the door was open all the way, the last of the crocs got in their rickshaws, and followed after their leader.

And just like that, it was over. The crocs were gone, and they took the Dragon Chalice with them. The kung fu warriors had finally lost for once, and the crocs had emerged victorious. The time of the croc bandits had finally come, just as Fung had predicted it would.

Po turned towards Erdan, who instead of growling and snarling like his father and Tigress, had remained silent during Fung's escape, deep in thought. "Danny boy, what do we do now?", the panda asked.

However, Erdan didn't reply, and only continued to stare off into space, as if the Dragon Warrior's words had gone through one ear drum and left out the other entirely without ever meeting anything in the middle. And to Po's horror, he realized that for once Erdan, the man who always had a plan, didn't know what to do this time.

"Come on Erdan, you got us this far. You can't give up now", Po insisted. However, Erdan continued to stay silent, as his friends looked at him sympathetically. "Danny?", Po asked, a small tear appearing under the panda's eyes, as he realized there really was nothing they could do. They had all underestimated the crocs, and as a result, they let Fung outsmart them. For the first time since Po became the Dragon Warrior, the bad guys had won.

_**Author's Note:**_

Sorry about the shortage on chapters. I had planned to post three today, but there was a kink in the third chapter that needs to be worked out. Don't worry, even though there's only two posted today, you guys still won't be left on another cliffhanger like last week (I like to keep people in suspense, but I'm not evil). Also the joke where Gah-Ri breaks his tooth on the Dragon Chalice is a spoof on classic Looney Tunes cartoons, where characters would try to find out whether a quarter was real or not by bending it with their teeth. Normally, I wouldn't explain a joke in the author's notes, but some things work better in your head than they do on paper, and now that I've reread this chapter, I'm not sure whether or not the gag is clear enough. And then there's poor Fang. First Zhong, then Erdan. It seems he'll be owing people life debts forever.

The music in this chapter is different than all the previous ones. It lives up to both the title and the action-y nature of the plot. Sometimes it can feel a bit over the top, but that's good, because music in action movies are always a bit overblown (take John Williams' epic scores for example). Like "_**UNIT Rocks!**_", the variation on "_**UNIT**_" from two chapters back. While the music in the two tracks remain basically the same, the tempo doesn't. The original "_**UNIT**_" was quieter and more subdued, the perfect music for a scene where a general and his men brainstorm. But "_**UNIT Rocks!**_" is much more exciting and has a certain gung-ho to it, like a young soldier rushing into battle for the first time. Which I suppose you could say is what happens here for Erdan, as he takes charge of Po and the Furious Five.

When I wrote "_**Salvation, Part 1**_", one of my top ten favorite tracks was "_**All the Strange, Strange Creatures**_". What I loved most about it is that even though it was composed in 2007 it's classic adventure music, like something you'd hear in an Indiana Jones movie. I knew I wanted to bring it back for "_**Erdan 2**_", but I also knew that the music in this fic has a completely different feel to it than in my Balto fics. So I brought it back in a different form - "_**A Pressing Need to Save The World**_", which takes a more electronic approach on the theme, while still keeping it's adventurous vibe. Both tracks succeed in giving you an idea of what it feels like to race against time.

Finally, I'd like to thank Wolflover111 for reviewing the last time I posted. Now that "_**Erdan 2**_" is coming to end, having the author of the original fic back for the finale just feels right. Though from your review, it looks like you never left in the first place (computer troubles, we've all been there). So thanks for not forgetting about Erdan.


	22. Chapter 22: Erdan Victorious

**_Chapter 22: Erdan Victorious._**

After the last of the croc bandits disappeared into the night, Erdan finally spoke. "Ironwood trees", he whispered.

"What?", Po asked.

"All the wood on the base comes from ironwood trees", Erdan replied, before grabbing his grappling hook and spinning it around in the air.

"What are you doing?", Fang asked.

"Erdan, it's over", Shu reasoned, her voice defeated.

"Not yet it's not", Erdan replied, before thrusting the hook forward, and snaring it at the very top of the brick wall. He then began to climb higher and higher up the wall, leaving his friends on the wooden platform.

"Where are you going?", Zhong asked, throwing up his own grappling up to follow the boy (with Shu doing the same only a few seconds later).

"Checking out a hunch", Erdan replied, now a feet few above them. When the boy reached the top of the wall, he looked all around him, surveying the land around the fort until he saw what he was looking for. The boy never thought he'd be so happy to see something as simple as a tree. But right now, it was the key to making their mission a success.

When Zhong and Shu finally caught up with him (with Po and the Five not far behind), they were confused as to why Erdan was so excited about a tree. "How did you know there was one nearby?", Shu asked.

"We passed some trees on the way in. I figured they were ironwoods. My village relied off the land to survive, so I know all about trees. I also know that ironwood is a heavy material to carry. Even with a whole army helping, it would be impossible to carry over long distances, and the rickshaws the crocs took would not have been big enough to pull it with. So I knew that Mako and his men must have gotten it from somewhere close by. Close enough for me to throw a grappling hook at", Erdan explained, before spinning his grappling hook again.

And then, it dawned on the boy's parents. Their son had just come up with another plan, and there was still hope after all. They glanced at back at the Furious Five, who had just caught up with them, before looking back at Erdan again. "We're gonna swing down?", Shu asked, her face lighting up with excitement

"Nope. It's not fully grown yet, so the branches aren't high enough. But it's the only tree nearby, so I'll just aim for one of the lower branches. We're gonna zip-line down", Erdan replied, grinning.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?", Fang asked nervously, inching his way towards his best friend.

"Nope. In fact, there's a chance we'll all fall to our deaths", Erdan replied.

"Then why are we doing this?", Mantis asked, hopping onto Erdan's shoulder.

"Because we can't just let Fung and his goons get away with the Chalice. We can't give up", Erdan said, his voice determined. He then turned his head to look at all his friends, who were watching the boy with wary looks on their faces. "Guys, before we do this, do you trust me?", Erdan asked.

Everyone hesitated, no one having a definite answer, until Zhong spoke up. The one-eyed wolf walked to the edge of the wall, and grinned at his son. "Son, if you have the guts to cross all of China alone, jump off a building, walk across a tightrope, fight off a whole gang of croc bandits, and somehow pull it all off before you're even 18, then you're one heck of a wolf. We could have used more guys like you in the royal guard when I was kid, guys who'd kept us all on the straight and narrow. So if you think this is the only way we'll get the Chalice back, then I trust you completely", Zhong said, brimming with pride at his son's strength and ingenuity.

Erdan smiled, and looked at Shu. "And you?", he asked.

Shu joined Zhong at Erdan's side, and nodded her head. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have gotten this far. You haven't let us down before, and you won't do it now", Shu replied.

Erdan then looked at Po, who now bore the biggest grin had ever seen him wear. "What they said. Danny boy, you're a mad little genus, and it's been my pleasure fighting alongside you", the panda said, patting Erdan on the hand.

"Right back at you, Dragon Warrior", Erdan grinned. Several others declarations soon followed from the Furious Five, each telling the boy how much to they trusted him.

"You may be a wolf, but you think like a Monkey", Monkey said, much to Zhong's annoyance.

"You're may be small, but you're a big fighter, just like me", Mantis boasted.

Fang, who had remained silent up until then, suddenly snapped and grabbed Erdan's shirt, taking his best friend by surprise. "I hate to interrupt all the mushy stuff, but the longer we stand here talking, the further away the croc bandits are getting. So if we're gonna do this, let's do it now and save all the sappy speeches for later, okay?!", Fang reasoned.

Erdan reluctantly nodded, and started to spin his grappling hook again. And after gaining enough momentum (hopefully), Erdan finally thrust the hook forward, aiming towards one of the lowest branches on the tree. By some unforeseen miracle, it hit it's target, and landed right on top of a thick tree branch. After tugging on the line to make sure it was secure, Erdan tied the other end to the wall, praying that the brick foundation of the base was just as strong as the ironwood tree.

"Now, since no one else besides Dad is wearing gloves, you'll have to tear off pieces of your clothes to protect your hands. Trust me, you don't want to be doing this barehanded", Erdan advised, grimacing at the memory of his last zip-ling attempt.

Erdan then watched as Po, Tigress, Shu, Fang and Monkey all tore off small pieces of their clothing. Unfortunately, Viper and Mantis didn't have any clothes, so they decided to fly down with Crane.

"Hey, why aren't you ripping up your clothes?", Fang demanded, scowling as the rabbit ripped off one of the sleeves of his beloved shirt.

"I don't need to, I've got this", Erdan said, holding up his bandanna to the bunny's face as a reminder. The wolf cub then grinned, as his friend started mumbling to himself, no doubt fuming about his ruined clothing.

Each of the kung fu masters took their positions at the end of the wall, lining up, with Zhong pushing Po towards the edge. "Alright panda, you're going first", Zhong said.

"Why's it gotta be me? You're the only who's been doing this for years", Po reasoned.

"Because no ones want to be flattened by you when it's your turn to come down. For everyone's own good, the Dragon Warrior will be leading the way today", Zhong explained.

Po gulped. The panda raised his hand to the rope (using a piece of his shorts to protect his fingers), and peered over the edge of the wall. It was such a long way to fall. Twenty feet. Not high enough to kill him, but enough to put him in the hospital for days. Eventually, he let go of the rope, and turned to grin sheepishly at his friends. "Um, on second thought, we can always find something to take the Dragon Chalice's place in the palace, can't we?", Po asked nervously.

"Po, I was scared too when I did this for the first time. It's easy to do it in the moment, when you're fighting a battle, and people's lives are counting on you. But it's a whole other story once you've had time to stop and think about what you're doing. But just remember, gravity is your friend, not your enemy. All you have to do is relax your body, and let nature do all the work. Besides, dad's been doing this for years. And if a wolf can do it, I'm sure the Dragon Warrior can", Erdan said reassuringly, ignoring his father's frown behind him.

"Okay Danny…if you say so", Po said, though the boy could tell he was still feeling unsure. The panda walked back towards the rope, and stepped to the very edge of the wall. He closed his eyes, and prayed that his young friend knew what he was talking about. And then he jumped.

Po didn't remember how long he fell through the air, or even the part where he smacked into a tree branch on the way down. All he remembered was jumping off the wall, and finding himself dangling above the ground a few seconds later, his hand still clenched around the rope with a death grip.

"Po, you can let go now!", Shu shouted from above him.

Po looked up to see his friends standing twenty feet above him, waiting impatiently for the panda to move out of the way so they all could have their turns. Did he really just jump that far? The panda complied, and forced his fingers to let go of the rope, falling only a few feet until he landed on his back on the grass. He was on solid ground once again.

Fang was the next one to take the plunge. The rabbit boy screamed at the top of his lungs, as he soared through the air at breakneck speeds. Obviously, this brought back memories of the last time he zip-lined, which had ended in dismal failure. And reliving that moment didn't help him with his nerves. Eventually, he reached the end of the rope, and let go as soon as he struck the branch, landing right on top of the Dragon Warrior's face.

After seeing that his friends were safe, and that Erdan's plan was working, Crane flew down next, with Mantis and Viper riding on his back. Since everyone needed both hands to zip-line, none of could carry the sack of treasure Po still had. Which meant Crane had to not only support Viper and Mantis on his back, but also carry the burlap sack in his mouth. Tigress and Monkey were the next to fall, both of their trips being smoother than Po and Fang's almost effortlessly. Soon, only the wolves were left.

Erdan leapt off the roof with no hesitation. The boy had put his life in the hands of his judgment before, and this time was no different. Plus, he felt a little more confident knowing that his friends had all done it and had went mostly unscratched. When Erdan reached the ground, Po and the Five were all waiting for him. Eventually, the gang was complete when Zhong and Shu joined them, landing on the ground with the kind of perfect precision you would expect from adult wolves.

"Alright, let's go kick some croc tail!", Fang shouted, running in the direction the crocs had went. But before he could get far, Zhong's hand grabbed the bunny, and pulled him into the air.

"You're not going anywhere", the wolf said.

"But I wanna help", Fang whined. At first, he thought Po and his friends were just trying to protect him like his parents, until Zhong elaborated.

"You can help, by staying here until we come back. Po still has the rest of the Jade Palace's treasure in that sack, and we can't take it with us when we're fighting, the crocs might steal it too. So we need someone to stay here and guard it until the fight's over. Can we trust you do that?", Zhong asked, deciding to patronize the young boy.

"Well…", Fang said, deliberately drawing out the moment.

"The treasure of the Jade Palace would be in your hands. If you kept it safe, you'd be just as much of a hero as Po. Plus, your mother's pride might help simmer down her anger when she finds out your followed us", Zhong added, glaring at the boy.

Fang gulped, and nodded his head. "It's a deal", he said.

"Good kid. I knew you'd come around", Zhong grinned, before putting Fang down on the ground.

And once they'd tied up that last loose end, Po, Shu, Zhong, Erdan, and the Five wasted no time in following the croc's tracks, disappearing from sight in less than a minute. The crocs were already at least 15 minutes ahead of them, but Fang had seen his friends run before, so he knew they would catch up to them in no time. Besides, Fung and his men weren't exactly in the best of shape, while Shifu's students had plenty of energy to burn. Which meant that, thanks to Erdan's determination, the battle wasn't over yet.

**((()-()))**

"Gary, it's only been 20 minutes. You can't be tired yet already", Fung groaned, as he watched his second-in-command struggle to pull the lead croc's rickshaw up a hill. And he wasn't the only one, the rest of his men had grown tired of running as well, and were now dragging their feet along the ground.

"Boss, maybe we should switch places for a while? That's kinda what these things are for", Gah-Ri suggested, the croc's voice hopeful.

"Nuh-uh, you remember our agreement. I won't pull until we reach the next town", Fung said smugly.

"I don't remember agreeing to that", Gah-Ri said, racking his brain trying to remember the conversation Fung was talking about.

"Just pull harder", Fung sighed, before looking at the Dragon Chalice he cradled in his hands. The vase that would make them very rich thieves. They were so close. But they couldn't sell the thing if they didn't make it to the next town, which seemed like an impossible task for Fung's lazy men. "_I need stronger guys in this gang_", he thought.

Eventually, he grew tired of watching Gary tug and pull on the handles, and the lead croc's eyelids grew heavy. He hadn't had any sleep all night, it was finally starting to catch up with him. He was so tempted to just close his eyes, and let himself fall asleep. Come to think of it, that wasn't such a bad idea. If he got some sleep now, by the time he was awake they'd be in the next town, and he'd be well rested for his scam. So that's just what he did.

But no sooner did the croc close his eyes that Gah-Ri decided to tap him on the shoulder and disturb him. "Um, Fung", he whispered, by the tone of his voice he was obviously worried about something. What it was however, Fung couldn't give a darn.

"Whatever it is, I don't care Gary", the sleepy croc mumbled.

"But it's important", Gah-Ri insisted, his voice going from worried to alarmed.

"I'm not switching places until morning", Fung growled, really growing agitated now.

"But you'll be in jail in the morning. The panda and his friends, they're coming", Gah-Ri said urgently.

At that, all thoughts Fung had had of sleep disappeared, and the croc's yellow eyes snapped open in shock. He turned around to see that Po and the Furious Five were indeed approaching them, with the wolf pack at the head of the group, running on all fours. "I thought we lost them!", Fung explained, watching as the kung fu masters closed the gap between them. 50 meters, 45 meters, 40 meters…

"I think they might have followed our tracks", Gah-Ri mused, looking down at the sharply-defined tire tracks the rickshaws were making in the soft, dewy Earth.

"Way to state the obvious Gary, now pull!", Fung shouted.

With fear and adrenaline a new factor in his stamina, Gah-Ri found the strength to pick up the rickshaw's handles, and drag Fung up the hill. The other crocs followed suit, managing to stay just ahead of the kung fu warriors' lightening sprint.

Still, one by one, the crocs started to slow down, just enough for Tigress to reach out, and grab the end of one of them. Before the crocs could react, the rickshaw was flipped upside down, and the bandits spilled out onto the grass. They never stood a chance of fighting off justice. Once she had knocked out two of Fung's lackeys (this time hitting them hard enough to make sure they stayed out for a while), Tigress rejoined her friends in the chase.

In her absence, Crane had flew ahead of one of the rickshaws, and blinded the driver with his giant wings. The cart flew out of control, and slammed right into a bamboo tree, breaking it in half. The bird made short work of the crocs, and then repeated the tactic with another cart. So far, they had already taken out six crocs out of twenty, but they couldn't afford to get cocky. They had already underestimated Fung one time, and they wouldn't do it again.

Zhong, Shu, and Erdan flew to the head of the group, each having their own way of disabling crocs. Zhong, being the most forceful of the pack, ran up to the side of one rickshaw, and slammed into it with his body over and over again until it swerved out of control, toppling over onto it's side. Completely exhausted, the driver of one cart slowed down to a crawl, which allowed Shu the chance to jump up, and kick him right in the face. Erdan, unsurprisingly, was the most gentle. Like Shu, he didn't want to hurt his enemies, only disarm them. So when he fired off his arrows at the croc bandit's rickshaws, he made sure he went for non-lethal shots to the arms and legs. Though it took several tries, the pain was eventually enough to make them crash, giving Mantis a chance to paralyze them with his nerve attacks.

Fung gulped, as he watched his teammates go down one by one, just like they always did. And just like always, he would be the one last one to be taken out. It had had happened so many times that there was a cell in Chor-Gom that practically had his name on it. "_No! I've worked too hard this time!_", he thought, growling. "Gary, let me pull", he said.

"Finally", Gah-Ri sighed, stopping the cart so Fung could take his place.

Erdan looked ahead. They had taken down every rickshaw, and tied up every croc (Erdan still had several bundles of rope crammed into his backpack). Except for the two rickshaws that still remained, containing Fung, Ling, Gah-Ri, and an 'unnamed thug' as Po usually described henchmen.

Erdan raised his bow, and shot off an arrow at one of the rickshaws, though from his angle, he didn't know which one it was. A croc bandit shouted out in pain, and the cart rocked back and forth, before falling over, like all the others. Po and his friends ran up to the scene of the crash, to find Ling and another croc lying on the ground, scowling at the kung fu masters.

"We were so close", Ling growled.

"It's over", Zhong said, recognizing the croc as being the one arguing with Fung earlier.

Ling hesitated. The croc bandit knew he and his friend would stand no chance against the kung fu masters, and they were better off just surrendering now and saving themselves some pain. But he didn't want to go to Chor-Gom. He didn't want to be a failure like all his other dim-witted teammates. Plus, he _really_ didn't want to go to Chor-Gom.

The croc stood up on his feet (letting his dazed companion lie on the ground), and glanced at the rickshaw that was disappearing further and further into the distance. "Guys, I could use a little help over here!", Ling shouted.

As he was towing Gary's rickshaw, Fung looked behind him, to see Po and his friends surrounding Ling. The croc didn't stand a chance without his teammates' help. Too bad there was no one around who actually cared. Fung had the Dragon Chalice, and Ling was in the hands of the enemy - two of his greatest dreams had just came true in one night. So why would he want to ruin it so soon? He could always break Ling and the rest of his men out of prison later, but for now, all that mattered was that he get away with the Chalice so he could sell it. His men would surely understood that. So instead of turning the rickshaw around and standing by his teammate, Fung turned his back on the croc, and kept running in the direction of the next town - never giving his rival a second glance.

Ling watched in despair as his leader abandoned him, while Zhong smirked in satisfaction. "_I knew the fear would get to him_", the wolf thought, as he, and his nine other friends, eagerly approached his captor. Still, even though Zhong was glad his plan had worked, he was a little disappointed in Fung for giving into his fears. After having been a soldier for so long, Zhong knew that the true test of a leader was not abandoning his men in battle - a test that Lord Shen had failed. His pack had all put their trust in the peacock, and he betrayed them for his own selfish ends. So seeing how easily Fung left behind his own gang, just to save himself, made Zhong dislike the croc even more. In a way, he almost felt sorry for Ling. Almost anyway. The fight was over a few seconds later, and Zhong placed Ling's unconscious body next to his teammates'. And then the chase continued.

"Now there's only Fung left", Monkey said, noticing the single rickshaw off in the distance.

"But he's too far ahead", Po said. Normally, the panda and his teammates would have been able to close the hundred meter gap between them and Fung in just a few seconds, but all that fighting and running had taken it's toll on their stamina, just like it had the crocs. After all, they were warriors, not robots.

"That's the problem with rickshaw chases, the other guys can always run on longer", Mantis grumbled.

Po glanced at his friend, and as Mantis said the word 'rickshaw chase', Zhong appeared in the panda's line of vision, running alongside Shu and Erdan. The two images mixed together, and Po couldn't help but flashback to that day they had raced across Gongmen City. Chasing down Zhong had seemed impossible (plus it didn't help that the wolf was mocking him at every turn), until he finally used one of the secret moves of kung fu to bring him down, and bring him down hard.

As soon as he snapped out of it, the panda ran up to Erdan side. "Danny boy, I think I know how we can end this. If you're okay with my idea", Po suggested.

"What is it?", Erdan asked, curious. As much as he wanted to defeat the crocs and get the Chalice, he also knew that it was unusual for Po to help with a plan. And Po certainly wouldn't be nervous about it if the plan wasn't dangerous. He then, he immediately understood why the panda had asked, when Po whispered the plan into his ear.

Getting the others to agree with this was going to be hell.

But it wasn't impossible.

A few moments (and a lot of arguing) later, Erdan took a deep breath, psyched himself up, and start sprinting. Behind him Tigress watched as the boy put more and more distance between them. Standing next to her, his mother and father also kept their eyes glued on their son, as he got a nice head start on the striped master.

Like Erdan Tigress took a deep break and started sprinting after the boy, narrowing the gap between them.

This was one of the more advanced kung fu moves she and teammates knew. They had never used it anyone besides Po; not because it was unsafe (one wouldn't need a thick fur coat and even thicker layer of fat to protect themselves from harm), but because they'd never had a reason to until now.

The reason Erdan was on the receiving end of it today was because the Dragon Warrior himself rationalized the cub was more aerodynamic than him. The boy was honored to do whatever he could to help his heroes bring the crocs to justice.

Danny heard Tigress' panting and the thudding of paw prints behind him, before he felt the feline's paw make contact with his back. Two creatures running at their top speeds colliding – giving Erdan the push he needed to soar ahead at mind-boggling speeds. He was gone in a flash, leaving a sonic boom in his wake.

He had done his part. Now it was time for his friends to do theirs.

"After him!", Zhong yelled.

**((()-()))**

"I think we lost them boss", Gah-Ri said, watching Fung from the back seat as the desperate croc pulled their rickshaw through the forest.

Fung was about to reply with an insult about how naïve Gary was, when the croc was suddenly stuck in the back by something large and heavy - the rickshaw. Erdan had just come soaring down the path, heading straight for the crocs. The only way the boy had been able to avoid the collision was to leap up and grab the top of the rickshaw's tarp, toppling it over and finally putting an end to his run. The crocs had been crushed under the rickshaw, while Erdan landed on his back nearby, a little shaken up (and definitely dizzy), but otherwise unharmed.

Fung groaned, as he and Gah-Ri crawled out from under the cart, before he realized what had taken them down. "You! You're that kid!", the croc growled.

At first, Fung was angry, until he realized that another opportunity had just presented itself. Erdan was a kid, and if there was anything the croc bandits were good at, it was ransoming kids. Perhaps that was where they had made their mistake earlier. They had kidnapped a grown man instead of sticking to their usual tactics of nabbing a child and blackmailing their parents.

"What are you, Zhong's kid? I bet we'd get an awful lot of money for you", Fung said, walking towards the cub.

However, Erdan wasn't afraid of the crocs. To their surprise, the boy whipped out a bow and arrow from his backpack, and pointed it directly at them. "Come any closer and this is what you'll get. Besides, you shouldn't be worrying about me. I'm just the distraction", Erdan explained, grinning.

Fung looked at the moment for a moment, stunned, before something collided directly with his face. Fung knew what it was by instinct now - Zhong's fist.

While the boy had kept them talking, it gave the other kung fu masters time to catch up and sneak up behind the crocs. Oh the irony. The very same tactic Fung had used on Zhong earlier had just been used against him - and he had walked right into it.

Fung landed flat on his back, and watched as the other masters fought his second-in-command. Unfortunately, Gary didn't stand a chance Po, Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane all at the same time. It wasn't exactly a fair fight, but then again, bad guys don't exactly play fair.

Zhong glanced at Erdan, concerned for his son. "Are you alright?", he asked.

"Yeah, it went better than I thought it would. Po was right, dodging those trees was a whole lot easier for me than it would have been for him", Erdan replied, sharing his father's grin.

"Good work", Zhong said.

"**_Back to the Future_**" by Alan Silvestri begins.

He looked back at the croc bandit his son had taken down, and glared at him. Fung wasn't going to get away this time.

While Crane, Monkey, Viper and Mantis were busy fighting Gah-Ri, Zhong, Tigress, and Po charged at Fung. He was incredibly outmatched and outnumbered, so there was only thing left to do. Play keep-away.

As Zhong swiped at him, Fung ducked and threw the Dragon Chalice into the air. Po and Tigress scrambled for it while Zhong glanced behind him for just a fraction of a second to see if they would actually catch it. This gave Fung just enough to leap into the air and use the wolf's head as a springboard to launch himself towards the chalice. He scooped it up and landed safely on his feet again before any of the masters could catch his stolen prize. It was official, the croc bandits was definitely getting better, and craftier.

But Fung had forgotten all about the kid. An arrow grazed his shoulder and the croc bandit clutched his arm, dropping the chalice on the ground. Of course his scales kept the arrow from doing any real damage, but it still hurt. He scowled at the archer behind him. "Ow! You could put someone's eye out with that thing!", he snapped.

"I wasn't aiming for your eye, I was pointing it at your arm", Erdan replied, loading another arrow into his bow.

Fung thought about taking the kid's weapon from him before he realized his hands were empty and looked behind him to see the chalice rolling through the grass, and Po running straight towards it.

"Stay away from that!", he said, rushing to beat the bear to the cup.

However he was intercepted by Tigress who tackled him to the ground. He kicked the striped master off and clumsily got back on his feet, knowing Po was only inches from his fortune. Realizing he wouldn't make it in time he grabbed the panda from behind and forced him away the goblet.

"Guys!", Po said, signaling for back-up as he tried the shake the croc off him.

"Kinda busy Po!", Viper replied, as she and Monkey struggled to hold Gah-Ri in place and allow Mantis to deliver his nerve attacks.

"I'll get it!", Crane said, flying towards the cup that now laid idle in the grass.

"Oh no you won't! That's my money!", Fung said, finally releasing Po and letting the panda fall on the grass before he ran after the bird.

A second later Tigress helped Po get back on his feet, but she was a second too late as Fung had already grabbed the chalice and was now making Crane fly after him.

"Is it just me, or is Fung making this even harder than usual?", Po asked his teammate as followed the bird.

"It's not just you", Tigress replied. The crocodile had tasted victory and he wasn't ready to give it up so easily, even if he was the last man standing.

With Masters Po, Tigress, and Crane after him, Fung decided to check on how his teammate was doing with his fight. "Gary!", he yelled, looking around for any sign of the smaller croc. He finally saw his teammate lying a few feet away, either paralyzed or knocked out, on the ground. He really was the last man standing now.

The croc wasn't looking where he was going however and slammed into something hard. After rubbing his snout he realized he had hit into Shu. He had forgotten all about the she-wolf too.

"Going somewhere?", she asked menacingly.

Grinning nervously, he started back up as she padded towards him. Then he remembered the other masters and looked back to see six animals blocking his escape.

"You kidnapped by boyfriend, tried to hurt my son, I have had it with you _and_ your gang", Shu growled, now less than two feet away from the bandit.

"Stay back lady, stay back", Fung warned, even though he knew he was even more outnumbered now.

Then he bolted, choosing to run neither forward nor backward but to the left, towards the trees. He knew all the others were right on his tail, having sprung into action the minute he made his move. But before he could get to safety Erdan suddenly leapt over his head and landed right in front of him, pointing his weapon at him again.

"Sorry Fung, but like one of your men said, there's nowhere to run", the boy said determinedly.

The croc didn't slow down, or even stop. He decided to call the kid's bluff and keep running. "You don't scare me", he said, intending to either go around the brat or push him out of the way.

"He should", Zhong snarled, someone else Fung had forgotten was chasing him (he couldn't keep up with all these people!). Copying his son's move the lupine landed between him and Erdan and struck before Fung could change direction again.

There was no time for any of the formal stuff Shifu had taught him; kicks or spins would only give Fung time to escape. No, tonight the wolf was going to use his oldest technique, his old standby (and Po's as well).

Before Fung knew it the croc was met with a fist in the jaw. Zhong didn't hold back, winding his arm back and hitting as hard he could, knowing this particular opponent was hardy enough to handle his full strength – well that and Fung had pissed him off.

"That one's for kidnapping me!", he said, as Fung lurched backwards.

The croc groaned and before he could touch his sore face he was struck again. Still he held onto the chalice in his arms.

"That one's for trying to hurt my son!", Zhong continued, and the croc bandit had the horrible feeling he still wasn't done yet.

He was starting to feel really dizzy now, and rocked back and forth on his heels. His grip on the chalice was weakening. Zhong's teammates watched and waited for him to deliver the final blow. They didn't have to wait long.

"And this one's for abandoning your teammates!", Zhong yelled, before thrusting his paw forward for the third and final time. He made direct contact.

Everyone winced as Fung fell backwards on the ground, but not before his claws let go of the chalice and for the second time that night the goblet flew into the air.

Erdan, thinking fast, threw his bow down on the ground and ran towards it, catching the sacred artifact in his arms before it could hit the ground and break in two.

It took him a moment before he realized the enormity of what had just happened. "We did it…we did it…we've got the Dragon Chalice back!", he whispered slowly, taking it all in, before laughing triumphantly.

"Danny boy, you did it!", Po shouted, hugging the boy and laughing along with him. The Furious Five soon joined him, each of them having their own words of congratulations for the heroic young wolf.

"Good work kid", Tigress said, giving the boy one of her rare smiles.

"Thank you", Erdan replied, bowing respectfully (but being careful not to drop the chalice).

And the moment was made complete when Zhong and Shu joined them, each parent brimming with pride about how brave their son had been in combat, and at such a young age too. Of course, they had been scared out of their minds for him the whole time and they'd probably need hours of meditation after this, but it had all worked out in the end. They had trusted Erdan's judgment, and the boy had came through in the end, just like he always did.

Meanwhile, Fung, unnoticed by the others, attempted to crawl away. He wasn't quite unconscious yet and he still refused to admit defeat. But before he could get further than a few inches Zhong stepped in his path and glared down at the croc. "So should you do it, or should I?", he asked, knowing Fung would know what he meant.

Fung groaned, but he knew it was over. The crocodile weakly raised his face and struck himself in the face, knocking himself out. He embraced the sweet relief of being uncocnious like his friend Gary instead of trying to fight it. He'd had a long night.

Once he was sure Fung wouldn't get back up again, Zhong retrieved the rest of Erdan's rope from his backpack, and used it to tie up the croc. "There, the gang's all here. Now let's go back and pick up the rest of his pals before they come to", Zhong said, placing Fung's unconscious body next to Gah-Ri's in the battered rickshaw.

"Plus, Fang's still waiting for us", Po reminded him.

"He's gotta be mad he missed out on all the action", Erdan said. He was not looking forward to listening his friend complain when they regrouped again.

"Not as mad as his mom will be when he gets back. I'd hate to be that guy right now", Mantis said, grinning.

Erdan laughed, and thought about the vicious chewing out Fang was surely gonna get once they returned to the Valley. Which made him all the more glad that his parents had trusted him enough to let him go on the mission, instead him having to sneak out. The very same parents that were now lovingly rubbing him on the head, and patting his shoulder.

Zhong's pack was reunited again. And now that Fung was taken care of, Erdan finally had time to enjoy the family dynamic he had missed so much while Zhong was missing. Like he told Jimbo, the bond of a wolf pack went impossibly deep, and being part of a pack made them strong, in more ways than one. It was because of the love of his family, and the shared trust between them, that Erdan had been strong enough to succeed in his mission. And he would never forget the events that night for the rest of his life.

**_Author's Notes:_**

Like his father, Erdan had two themes in this story. The first, "**_Melody Pond_**", represents Erdan's darkest days - the time of his life when he was suffering from Zhong and his parents' deaths, and the overbearing grief he felt. However, as the story went by and Erdan's character evolved, the music in this fic started to get lighter to reflect his newly resurfaced adventure streak. "**_Back to the Future_**" serves as Erdan's secondary theme and variations on it have appeared all throughout the second half of this story.


	23. Chapter 23: A Father's Love

_**Chapter 23: A Father's Love (Song of Freedom).**_

By the time the village was finally in sight, the sun had just begun to rise over the Valley of Peace. However, the Dragon Warrior and his friends barely even noticed the beautiful sunrise, as they were all too busy dragging their sleep-deprived bodies across the bamboo forest. Po and his friends had just got back from Chor-Gom, dropping Fung and his men off in their usual cell, and were completely exhausted from staying up all night. Plus, it didn't help that they had been walking for hours right after a fight. However, there was one member of the group who's curiosity was doing a fine job of keeping him awake.

"So, how long have you been able to do kung fu?", Zhong asked his sleepy girlfriend, who was currently leaning against him for support.

"Since I was a little girl", Shu replied, yawning.

"And when exactly were you going to tell me?", Zhong asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Remember the night you sang to me? I told you that someday you'd learn some secrets about me. Well, today's the day", Shu replied.

Zhong grinned, and Erdan chuckled a little at Shu's joke. The pre-teen, just like Shu, was leaning on the other side of Zhong's ribs for support, worried that he might fall asleep at any second. The boy had already handed the Dragon Chalice off to Po an hour ago, worried that he might drop it if his hands weakened any further.

"Don't worry guys. It's only a few more minutes", Zhong said, after noticing how his family seemed to be slowing down.

Erdan glanced up, sure enough the village was coming closer and closer with every minute, now fully visible in the rising sun. He thanked god they were almost there. He never thought he would say this, but the wolf cub had had more than enough adventure for one night.

Meanwhile, Zhong gazed down at his son with a sort of half-hearted grin. Right now, his family and friends were all so happy. After all, why wouldn't they be? Erdan had saw a challenge, risen above it, and somehow managed to do the impossible, again. And while Zhong certainly wasn't the kind of guy who'd be jumping for joy like Po, he'd still usually feel some sort of happiness for their victory. But right now, his happiness and his pride in Erdan was greatly overshadowed by his own guilt.

Because Erdan may have come through for him when he needed him, like the boy always did, but he couldn't help but feel like he had broken his promise to Erdan, and had been letting his son down for the past month. He felt like a failure as a father, again. And once again, he found himself in a position where he knew what the right thing to do was, but he didn't know if he could bring himself to do it.

**((()-()))**

Mr. Ping scanned the almost-empty streets of the village. Just like he thought he would, the goose had stayed up all night, waiting for his son and his friends to return. Especially young Erdan, who seemed so experienced, but still so young and new at this kung fu warrior thing.

Finally, after half an hour of looking, the goose's heart leapt, when he saw ten familiar shapes walking down the end of the street. "They're here!", he shouted, knowing all the other villagers could hear him.

While Mr. Ping had been the only one standing outside in the cold morning air, everyone else in the village was also awake, awaiting the return of the Dragon Warrior from inside their houses, including the Hao Family, who were the first ones to return outside.

Mrs. Hao quickly ran to Mr. Ping's side. The little rabbit had stayed up all night worrying about her son, who had foolhardily followed Erdan and the others into battle. As usual, the boy had thought nothing of his own life, or how devastated his parents would be if something happened to him. He had only thought about being heroic. "Are you sure it's them?", she asked Mr. Ping.

"Do you know any other giant pandas in this town?", Mr. Ping asked sarcastically, before running down the street to greet his son, with Mr. and Mrs. Hao right behind him. Soon, they were followed by dozens of other villagers, as the familiar faces of Po and the Furious Five became visible in the early morning sun.

"Po!", the goose shouted excitedly.

"Dad!", Po said, the panda's face lighting up. As quickly as he could (considering that he was already a relatively slow animal, and was completely exhausted), Po ran up and hugged his goose father around the waist.

As the others caught up with Po, Fang (who had already fallen asleep on the way over) stumbled off of Erdan's shoulder, landing on his face in the snow. "Are we back?", the rabbit yawned.

"Fang-Hao!", the boy's mother screeched.

Immediately, Fang snapped out of his sleep-deprived daze, and turned to see his mother and father angrily approaching him, more furious than the boy had ever seen them.

"I warned you time and time again to leave this to professionals. You could have gotten yourself killed!", the woman scolded, as she ran up and grabbed the boy by one of his large ears.

"But mom, I'm a hero", Fang insisted.

"I don't care!", Margaret growled, practically dragging her son across the snow.

"Mom, you can let go of my ear", Fang whined, but the angry woman paid no attention to her son's complaints. If he had no intention of listening to her warnings, than she certainly wasn't going to listen to him complain until they got home and she had time to cool off.

Erdan chuckled, as he watched his friend be dragged off in the direction of the Hao house. Like Mantis had said earlier, he hated to be that guy at the moment. Eventually, something else caught the boy's attention, Mr. Ping. The goose had just finished his hug with Po, and was walking up the boy's side.

"I see the mission was a success", Mr. Ping noted, observing the boy's father standing nearby.

"I told you we'd all be back safe and sound Mr. Ping. I promised you. And a wolf always keeps his promises", Erdan yawned, swaying back and forth from exhaustion. The only thing that had kept him from falling asleep before and allowed him to keep on walking was his desire to get home and get some rest. But now that he actually was home, the boy couldn't will himself to stand up anymore. As his eyelids closed shut, he was dimly aware of the world spinning around him, and Zhong catching him in his arms before he could hit the ground. And that was the last thing Erdan remembered before he blacked out.

**((()-()))**

About an hour later, Po, Zhong, and Shifu stood in the Hall of Warriors, putting each sacred artifact back where it belonged, on it's own individual pedestal. Sneaking away from Po and Shifu for a moment, Zhong glanced into Erdan's old bedroom, watching the wolf cub sleep soundly on his mat. He looked as innocent as ever.

"Well, this is familiar isn't it?", Po asked from behind Zhong, startling the wolf. Though the retired general was usually on his guard all the time, he hadn't noticed the panda sneak up behind him (though he couldn't imagine how he had missed it). "We've been through this day before. On Valentines day. Except this time, when Erdan wakes up he won't hate your guts", Po joked, lightly punching Zhong in the shoulder.

"Yeah", Zhong replied, putting on his best fake smile. "_Though he probably should_", Zhong thought sadly, as the wolf followed Po back into the Hall of Warriors.

After greeting all the villagers, Po and his friends had returned to the palace, with an unconscious Erdan in tow. Upon their arrival, Shifu had ordered Shu, Erdan, and all the other kung fu masters to get some sleep in their bedrooms, since they had stayed up all day and night. However, Po and Zhong had volunteered to stay up long enough to help Shifu put up all the treasure and equipment they had taken with them on their mission. And currently, the three were going through Erdan's backpack and the burlap sack.

"Here ya go Shifu, one Dragon Chalice", Po said, grinning as he handed the sacred vase over to his master.

"Thank you Po", Shifu replied curtly, as the old man placed the vase back onto it's individual pedestal.

"Don't thank me, thank Erdan. He really came through last night. You have no idea how hard it was getting this thing back again", Po said, grinning. And then, the panda's grin disappeared, replaced by a look of absolute horror, as he realized he had said too much. As usual.

"Again? What do you mean again?", Shifu asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Um, the crocs got the Chalice several times during the fight. No matter how many times we got it back from them, they just kept stealing it", Po lied, before grinning suspiciously.

As Shifu raised his eyebrow even further, Po could hear Zhong laughing behind him. The wolf knew the story of the Dragon Chalice's first theft all too well (it was one of the first stories Po had told him about the Five's adventures), and the panda wondered whether or not his friend was deliberately trying to get him into trouble.

Finally, Zhong decided to do the bear a favor and changed the awkward subject. "So, Erdan was really going to fight you over this?", Zhong asked, as he placed the blades of the twin weasels back on their stand.

"He was very determined to come along. Like nothing I said or did would have made a difference. Even if I had ordered him to stay, he would have still found a way to follow us", Shifu replied.

"Still, you're one of the most stubborn guys I know. How did he finally convince you?", Zhong asked curiously.

"We found some common ground", Shifu replied simply.

Zhong seemed to think about this for a few moments, until deciding he wasn't going to get anymore out of Shifu, and started rummaging through Erdan's backpack - he still had to put up the ropes and grappling hooks the boy had borrowed.

Eventually, he came across something he hadn't expected to find. A piece of paper. Zhong didn't need to ask what it was, he knew it by heart. After all, he had wrote it. He recognized the texture of the paper, and the tears of a sad child that had stained the handwriting. Without saying a word, Zhong unfolded the paper, and stared at his workmanship.

Po watched as the wolf stood frozen in place, staring at the piece of paper that he knew had to be Erdan's letter. Concerned, the panda walked over and tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Why does he still have this?", Zhong finally asked, not taking his eyes off the paper.

"I think he keeps it as a precaution. Like he wants to forget about the days he had to rely on it to keep him going, but he can't. I think he keeps it just in case he ever loses you again. He told me that even though you're back, he always worried about being alone", Po explained.

Zhong slowed folded the paper back up, and placed it in his pocket. Now Po was really worried. Zhong was never this quiet unless something was wrong with him. Really wrong. The wolf looked so sad, almost like he was close to crying. And Shifu couldn't help but notice it too. "Is something troubling you Zhong?", the old panda asked.

Zhong hesitated, but turned to look at Shifu. "Master, I have something to ask you. And I hope you can understand why I'm asking. And just know that I would never even think about this if the matter wasn't so important", Zhong said, the wolf's voice regretful.

To his surprise, Shifu nodded, with a sympathetic look in the red panda's eyes. "I understand Zhong. You have responsibilities now. Far greater ones than the kind you used to have to here. And I knew this day was coming the moment you accepted Erdan as your son", Shifu replied.

Zhong smiled a little, but the wolf's expression still remained sad. "Thank you master", he said. And with that, the two animals turned away from each other, and went back to sorting. Zhong had knew Shifu would understand his dilemma. Erdan however, would be a whole other story.

Meanwhile, a confused Po stood in the middle of the room, trying to understand what his master and his best friend had just been talking about. "What responsibilities? What have they got to do with Erdan? Zhong? Shifu? Come on guys, don't leave me in the dark", he asked.

**((()-()))**

Later that day, Erdan stepped into the Jade Palace's lawn. Now that he and his friends were well rested, it was time for him and Shu to return to their homes in the village. As he was headed towards the stairs, the boy had a smile on his face the size of a watermelon slice. But for some reason however, no one else besides him and Shu seemed that happy. Especially, Zhong who looked both sad and worried.

As the boy and his mother started walking down the stairs, Erdan noticed that his father was following close behind, while Po and the others remained at the top of the staircase. "Dad, you don't have to follow us. It's just stairs. Me and mom did a lot more hard work last night", Erdan chuckled.

Zhong tried his best to grin, and patted Erdan on the shoulder. "I insist", he said.

"But you'll just have to walk all the way back up when you're done. It's very unnecessary, especially since you should be saving your energy for all the training you'll be doing tomorrow", Erdan reasoned.

"Actually, I won't be training tomorrow", Zhong replied.

Erdan raised his eyebrow, confused. "Really? That's not like Shifu. I thought he'd be doubling the training tomorrow since you and the others missed out today", Erdan mused.

Zhong gulped. This was the moment he'd been dreading. The moment where he'd have to come clean to Erdan. And all he could do was brace himself for the boy's reaction. "He probably will. But I won't be training tomorrow, because I'm not coming back to the palace today. Or ever", Zhong admitted.

"What?! But why?", Erdan asked, shocked and still very confused.

Zhong sighed. "You remember the day you first went to go work for Mr. Ping? I sang to you the night before", Zhong reminded him.

Erdan remembered that night like it was yesterday. How he had requested a lullaby from his father, even though he was over the age of 14. And how he had allowed himself to drift off to sleep to the smooth sounds of his father's voice. The sunset had been so beautiful that night.

"Yeah, so?", Erdan asked, trying to figure out what his father was building up to. And then, he remembered the conversation he and his dad had had before the lullaby, and a feeling of dread washed over him. Suddenly, he knew exactly where Zhong was going with their little talk, and he wished more than anything that he hadn't asked.

"Remember what I told you I'd do, if I ever felt like you needed my help?", Zhong asked.

"Dad, no! You can't!", Erdan shouted.

"I already have", Zhong said simply, before glancing at Shifu, who along with his students were watching them from above.

Shu looked at Shifu, then at Zhong and Erdan, trying to piece together what they were talking about. She had been sleeping over at the palace that night, but she hadn't been present at the time of their conversation, so she had no idea what Zhong meant. And it didn't help that he and his son were talking in riddles. "What? What has he done?", she asked Erdan.

"He's quit his job at the palace. He's going to give up being a kung fu master so he can raise me", Erdan explained, a few tears beginning to appear under the boy's eyes, before he turned back towards his father. "But dad, you can't. You have a responsibility to the Shifu, and Po, and the Five, and the village! The whole Valley of Peace is counting on you! It's your duty! It's what you've worked for all year!", Erdan reasoned.

Now Zhong bent over to talk to Erdan face-to-face, wiping away a few of the boy's tears. "A father's main responsibility is to his family. Nothing else comes first. Any self-respecting parent will tell you that. Besides, I seem to remember us having this argument before. And I also remember telling you that Po and the Five can kick this old wolf's butt clear across the Valley. They don't need me. But you do", Zhong said, grinning a little.

"But-", Erdan said, about to argue some more, when Zhong cut him off.

"You may not think you do, but you do. Ever since you lost your family, you've been on your own. You've always been taking care of yourself just fine. After all, you're the best waiter Mr. Ping's had since Po. But still, a kid your age needs someone. Someone he can come to when he needs help. Someone to comfort him on days he's feeling sad. Someone he can trust and depend on, no matter how bad things get. Someone who can keep him company on those dark, stormy nights", Zhong said.

"A kid needs someone in the dark?", Erdan asked, finally getting what Zhong was trying to say.

"Exactly. I can be that person for you. I can be the parent you need, but not if I'm always off gallivanting across China, and risking my life all the time. Even you have to admit you worry about me. You're always thinking about whether or not my next mission will be my last. If you didn't, you wouldn't keep _this_ in your backpack", Zhong continued, before fishing out Erdan's letter from his pocket, and handing it to the boy.

It was at that point that Erdan realized that this was one argument even he couldn't win. Zhong was too much like him. Or he was too much like Zhong. Either way, once the wolf made up his mind about something like this, it was impossible to change it. All the boy could do was accept the decision his father had made.

"You would really give all this up? Your honor, your purpose, your redemption, just for me?", Erdan asked in disbelief.

"In a heartbeat", Zhong replied, grinning now.

The boy was touched, to say the least.

Shu watched as Erdan ran up and hugged his dad around the waist. She couldn't help but be touched by what she was seeing. Zhong's selflessness was heartwarming. It was like something you'd read about a book or hear in a story, not something you'd ever expect to see in real life.

Shu glanced at the boy who was leaning into Zhong's chest. Erdan, the kid who had given Zhong hope, who'd helped him find his purpose. The kid had helped him in ways he could never imagine. And now Zhong was ready to give all that up to return the favor. Perhaps that was what Zhong's purpose had been all along. It wasn't helping his friend conquer Gongmen City. Nor was it becoming a kung fu legend. It was something as simple and kind as helping a lonely soul. Except, he couldn't do it alone.

As she watched Zhong comfort Erdan, Shu thought back to all those dreams she had had about him. How many times she had seen the boy in her sleep, and longed to keep him company. Even now, after she had met him in person, she still dreamed about the boy. Like whatever purpose she had in life, she still hadn't found it yet. But maybe, it had been right in front of her the whole time. Maybe, her purpose was intertwined with Zhong's. Maybe they had the same destiny. Maybe fate had brought them together for more reasons than one. Maybe Zhong really was her soulmate. Her second half. And maybe Erdan was the third piece of the puzzle they had never seen coming.

Shu walked up to Zhong, and placed her paw on the wolf's shoulder. "Zhong, what you're doing here is incredible. And I love you so much. I really do. But sometimes, you can be the dumbest man alive", she declared.

Erdan glanced up at Shu, confused. Zhong had the same shocked expression on his face. "What?", he asked, surprised.

Above them, Po and his friends were every bit as confused as the wolf pack, as Shu suddenly joined in the conversation. "Talk about ruining the moment", Mantis whispered to Po.

"Seriously, did you guys all just forget I was standing here?", Shu asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I guess", Zhong admitted, albeit a bit guiltily.

"Being a parent is team effort Zhong. It takes two. Why do you think kids have mothers? They're there when their fathers aren't. Who do you think raises the kids while their dads are work? And they help in ways that their dads can't. After all, who do you think the boys go to when they have girl problems?", Shu asked, grinning.

"Shu, what are you getting at?", Zhong asked.

Erdan however had a sneaky suspicion about what Shu was building up to, and had managed to catch on a lot faster than Zhong. "Shu, would you really do that?", he asked.

"Well, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't help out with the kid?", Shu replied, answering Erdan's question with a teasing one of her own. Erdan's face lit up, and he ran up to hug Shu, laughing with joy.

Finally catching on, Zhong walked to Shu's side, wary about what the she-wolf was suggesting. Shu's smile faded as she saw Zhong's expression, and her tone became decidedly serious.

"Don't you see Zhong? If something happens to you, Erdan won't be left on his own. Like I said before, he'll still have me. That's part of a mother's job. We don't just cook and clean, and give good advice. We help our kids soldier on whenever something happens to their dad. That's what my mom would have done for me and my siblings if my dad had died", Shu explained.

"And it's what Helen would have done for Timber and Julie, if something had happened to me", Zhong whispered, speaking of course about his first wife.

"More than men are soldiers Zhong. Their widows are too", Shu said, rubbing Zhong's cheek with her paw.

"'_**85 Lone Pine Mall**_" by Alan Silvestri begins.

After staying silent for a few moments, Zhong spoke again. "Are you sure you're ready for this Shu? You're only 27. You're still so young. Do you think you want so much responsibility so soon?", Zhong asked.

"You were only 19 when you had your first child. Besides, the universe has been preparing me for this for a long time now", Shu said, before grinning at Shifu. She didn't need to speak out loud, Shifu got what she was trying to say. It was a silent thank you, for helping her understand the dreams that had plagued her for so long.

Zhong looked at Shu before he started pacing suddenly, and the she-wolf could tell he was thinking about what to do next. After all, trying to decide whether or not to share the burden of parenthood with someone was an enormous decision, not one you could just make in a few seconds. After minutes of pacing back and forth, he stopped walking, and rubbed Shu on the shoulders. "Thank you", he said, a smile returning to his lips.

"Yes!", Erdan exclaimed. Now that his father had agreed to Shu's idea, he knew none of them were going to have make any sacrifices after all. Shu had showed up just in time, with a compromise that worked out for everybody. One that brought them closer as a unit. As a family.

And before they knew it, Shu had reined in her two boys, pulling them both into a group hug to celebrate their new closeness. Even Zhong, who was always uncomfortable during hugs, relaxed a bit, and allowed his son and his girlfriend to sink into his arms.

Above them, Po, Shifu, and the Furious Five smiled as the watched the family come to an agreement. It seemed Zhong wouldn't be leaving their ranks so soon after all. And it seemed Erdan had just found himself a new, permanent, home. At least until he was 18 anyway.

"Aww", Viper cooed, as she watched the three wolves embrace.

"Yuck", Mantis winced, earning himself yet another slap upside the head from Viper's tail.

"One big, happy, man-eating family", Po said, sighing happily.

"Do you really think they'll be okay?", Monkey asked, his voice wary.

"Sure they will. Danny boy's finally found what he's been needing all along", Po said reassuringly.

"Which is?", Monkey asked, curious.

Po grinned, and patted his simian friend on the head. "A father's love", the panda replied, as he watched his young friend sigh blissfully in his parents' arms.

**((()-()))**

A few minutes later, Zhong, Erdan, and Shu reached Shu's shop, while Po and the Five watched from close by. "Well, here we are, home", Shu said, grinning.

"I already spoke to Po, he's gonna tell Mr. Ping about how you're staying here now", Zhong said to Erdan.

"Good. I'll move my stuff out tomorrow", Erdan decided, noticing how the sun was getting lower in the sky. It had to be around 4:00 now. "Also, tell him that I'll be at work bright and early tomorrow morning. Just because I won't be needing a room to rent anymore doesn't mean that he'll be getting rid of me anytime soon", Erdan added, causing a grin to appear on Zhong's face.

Erdan was a wolf of his word, and he still intended to keep his promise to Mr. Ping. The goose needed some company on the days Po couldn't be with him, and Erdan wasn't going to let him go into a depression again.

Zhong walked up to Erdan, and patted the boy on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, and your mother", the wolf said.

"I will dad", Erdan promised.

"I know you will", Zhong said, grinning.

Zhong then looked at Shu, the she-wolf was currently holding the front door open, while eagerly awaiting her boyfriend's good-bye. Just as she hoped he would, the one-eyed wolf kissed her on the lips, savoring the tantalizing taste of his girlfriend's lips that he had missed o-so-much during his capture.

And as for poor Erdan, he could only watch awkwardly as his parents locked lips. The same could be said for Po and the Furious Five. While Viper and Tigress looked on affectionately, the boys were all wincing and grimacing (much to their teammate's annoyance).

As Zhong and Shu pulled away from each other, the she-wolf noted the sly grin on her boyfriend's face. "Remember Shu. You may be able to take care of yourself, but you have two boarders now. So could you at least lock the back door at night?", Zhong requested.

Shu grinned, before fake-pouting the best she could. "Well, it'll take some getting used to. But I'll see what I can do", she replied, catching onto Zhong's playful attitude. Still, she had meant what she said. Now that Erdan was living with her, the she-wolf was going to take extra precautions to make sure her son stayed safe at night. After all, he already risked his life enough during the day.

Once he was sure Shu meant what she said, Zhong nodded, and stepped back to look at his family again. His mate and his kid. His family that loved him so much they were willing to wait days to see him again. Just like his beloved wife Julie, and his two wonderful kids that had eagerly awaited their father's return from his job as a palace guard.

By some miracle, Zhong had found happiness again, and regained what he had lost for so long. Maybe someday the wolf would retire from being a kung fu master, and then he could be with Shu and Erdan full-time. But until then, he would continue to help his friends protect the Valley of Peace, knowing that he always had a loving embrace to return to. "I'll see you soon", the wolf promised.

"I know you will", Erdan said, repeating his father's words to him. The two shared one last hug, before the older wolf walked off, and rejoined his teammates. Erdan watched happily, as Po, the Furious Five, and his dad ran up the Jade Palace stairs, disappearing into the mountains. "_My dad, the kung fu warrior_", the wolf cub thought.

They had both come so far, found happiness that they never thought they would find again. And they both had each other to thank for it (and of course, they mustn't forget Shu. Not the lady of the household would ever allow her two boys to forget the role she had played in slapping some sense into them, mind you). And now there was just one last thing to do before he could move on completely. Something that he should have done a long time ago.

Erdan fished Zhong's letter out of his pocket, and stared at the tear-stained piece of paper. It would be the last time he would ever look it at. A long time ago (though it had only been about a month, it felt like an eternity to the boy), Erdan had relied on the paper to keep him going everyday. To give the strength to keep living day after endless day. It used to be his most prized possession. But now, the paper meant to nothing to him. It was like a ghost. An echo of a past life that the boy would surely remember, but never have to go through again. Not that he would ever dream of wanting to.

"_**Song of Freedom**_" by Murray Gold begins.

He had a brand new life now. A happy one, with friends and family, and a home in the land he had dreamed about his entire life. Besides Zhong's armor and his bandanna, the letter was literally the only psychical reminder of the life of misery Erdan used to live. And now it was finally time for him to take the last step in letting go.

But before he could, he turned around to see Shu walking inside her house. "Erdan, are you coming? It's warmer in here", she asked, concerned. Even though it was late March, and spring would be coming up soon, the chilly wind blowing in from the mountains hardly allowed the days to become warm yet. And the she-wolf couldn't help but wonder why Erdan was still just standing out in the cold.

"In a minute", Erdan replied, not wanting Shu to worry about him.

Shu, deciding that Erdan obviously had a reason for wanting to stay outside, decide to wait for him to come in on his own terms. In the meantime, she decided to light the fireplace and further warm up the shop for his return.

Once he was sure he was alone, Erdan turned his attention back to the letter. The boy took a deep breath, grabbed both ends of the paper with his paws, and pulled back on them as hard as he could. Since the paper was already six months old, and had been weakened by salt water several times, it tore easily, ripping in half right before the wolf cub's eyes. However, Erdan didn't stop there. He took the two halves, and broke them into four quarters, and then tore those pieces into eights.

It surprised him how easy it was for him to do this. Of course, ripping up paper was a relatively simple task for someone as strong as a wolf. But it still surprised Erdan how easily he had been able to tear up what he had once considered to be his most important possession. Maybe, this was further proof that the letter had no meaning to him anymore. Maybe it was just confirmation that it was indeed time to move on.

Once he was satisfied that the paper was torn up as much it could be without turning into dust, Erdan clenched the pieces in his fist, and raised it up high into the air. He waited until a breeze blew in from the mountains, coming from the direction of the Jade Palace, before he unclenched his furry fingers. And from there, nature took it's course.

The pieces of paper blew around Erdan's head, fluttering freely in the winter wind. At first, they tried to stay together, but then nature's hold on the paper grew even stronger, as the pieces started to scatter. Like petals from Oogway's sacred peach tree.

Erdan watched in amazement, as the fragments soared higher and higher into the sky, at least a good feet or two above the highest building.

And then a second gust came.

If Erdan had blinked, he would have completely missed what happened next - the paper soared. The pieces flew so high that the tiny fragments were no longer visible. But just because he couldn't see them, didn't mean that Erdan didn't know what was happening.

Though most people thought that trees died once they were chopped down and turned into paper, Erdan didn't agree. The boy was a huge believer in fate and spirits. And he firmly believed that the living, immortal soul of trees lived on even after death, just like the souls of people and animals. Which was why the boy couldn't be more happy about what he had just did.

The pieces were free now. Free to return to nature. Free to fly around forever in the mountains, the place the tree had once called home. It was finally free, just like how Erdan was finally free. And though they had been through so much together, seen so many different people and places, that was the last either being would ever see of each other. Their each had their own lives to live now. They each had a new beginning to look forward to.

Erdan grinned, satisfied, before he stepped inside Shu's home (making sure to lock the door behind him), and entered a brave new world.

_**Author's Note:**_

Freedom is such a blessed thing, isn't it? Po telling Monkey about how Erdan's found a father's love isn't just a reference to the title. It's actually a throwback to chapter 8, when Po tells Zhong that all Erdan needs to be happy is a father's love. Also, I know that this chapter must feel like the end (especially after listening to the glorious "_**Song of Freedom**_" by the Crouch End Festival Chorus), but it isn't. Not yet. There's still a few loose ends that need to be tied up (loose ends involving Zhong). Because like Erdan said, a wolf always keeps his promises, and Zhong still has a promise he made to Po that he needs to keep. Plus, there was one last thing AniUniverse suggested for this fic before the epilogue. Also, don't rip up your paper and let it blow away in the wind. It was a spiritual thing here, but that doesn't apply to real life. Seriously guys, recycle your paper. Littering isn't cool.


	24. Chapter 24: Hun Dun: Man or Myth?

_**Chapter 24: Hun Dun: Man or Myth?**_

"_**4x4**_" by Murray Gold begins.

After throwing his shirt over his head, Erdan tied his bandanna around his neck, preparing for the long walk that was ahead of him. It was April now. He had been living at Shu's for over a month. And while a few things had changed in the Valley of Peace, life went on as usual. Like he promised, Erdan was still a waiter at Mr. Ping's, and continued to keep the goose company on lonely weekdays.

Fang's punishment for sneaking out was still ongoing, and the rabbit's hands were still sore from scrubbing every inch of his hut - twice, to get everything nice and shiny. Still, for the first time since Erdan met him, Fang seemed to understand how much his actions affected others, and how much he made his parents worry about his reckless stunts. Erdan hoped he would be more careful in the future, and more considerate of their feelings.

Erdan also remained close with Jimbo and his sons. The old goat had kept his promise, and was beginning to understand the complex mechanisms of wolf society. As well as it's uncanny resemblance to that of a basic village family. Though conversations between Zhong and Jimbo were still a bit of awkward, they had for the most part buried the hatchet, and got along just as well as they did before the incident (if not better).

The goat family had also become regulars again at Mr. Ping's noodle shop. And all the other villagers followed their example. It took a while, but the villagers finally got used to Erdan's presence at the shop, and the alleyway was packed with customers once again. It seemed that all of Erdan's efforts were finally paying off. People were beginning to trust wolves again. And in a few decades time, maybe people could look past the misdeeds Zhong's pack had committed, and wolves would be honorable creatures again.

In the meantime, Erdan continued his training to be a kung fu warrior. As well as moving onto the next stage of kung fu, he also continued his lessons with Master Yeung and Master Gow, further perfecting his hand-eye coordination. And his dancing lessons with Po were going along splendidly. Now that Erdan had finally loosened up like the panda had advised him to, he was actually starting to enjoy the silly moments he shared with the Dragon Warrior. He was started to see how Po could soften up a hardened guy like Zhong. The panda was a very annoying friend, but he grew on you eventually.

And of course, most of Erdan's time was spent with his family. Adding to his growing list of skills, Erdan often found himself helping Shu make pottery, and keeping the shop up and running. His times with Zhong were just as fun. Knowing the basics of kung fu finally gave Erdan an advantage during their occasional games of father-son roughhousing. Plus, Zhong's stories about his teammate's antics at the Jade Palace were always hilarious to hear. However, there was one conversation between the two of them that had been rather awkward.

**((()-()))**

It had only been a week or two after their victory over the croc bandits, and Zhong had sat Erdan down to have a 'father-son' talk with him. Erdan, of course, had no idea what his dad wanted to say, only noticing that he was just as uncomfortable talking about the mystery subject as he was.

After taking a few deep breaths (only adding to Erdan's confusion, shouldn't the kid be the one who's nervous during these kind of talks?), Zhong spoke up. "Shu tells me you don't have a girlfriend yet", Zhong asked.

"No", Erdan replied.

"Well, you're getting older now. You'll be fifteen in a few months, and you'll be a man soon after", Zhong said.

"And?…", Erdan asked, curious about what his age had to do with anything.

"Did you parents ever tell you about sex?", Zhong asked suddenly.

Erdan's eyes widened slightly, and the boy was taken aback by the bluntness of his father's question. Then again, Zhong never had been one to be subtle. "Did my mom and dad ever tell a thirteen year old about sex? Not that I'm aware of", Erdan replied, half-sarcastic and half-serious.

Strangely enough, this only seemed to make Zhong even more uncomfortable, and Erdan realized for the first time what they were going to talk about. "_Oh god_", he thought, gulping. Apparently, his dad had decided it was time to have the 'birds and the bees' talk with him. And though Erdan had no idea what it was gonna be about, he had a feeling that whatever it was, it was gonna be disturbing. And he was right.

"Well, if you're gonna have a girlfriend, there are some things you should know. Things that you won't be ready for for a few more years, but things you should know nonetheless", Zhong explained.

Erdan took a deep breath, and braced himself as his father continued on. And thus began the longest thirty minutes of Erdan's life.

**((()-()))**

Erdan shuddered, as he remembered the exact details of what his father had told him that day, before he tried to put the images out of his head. After all, you could only get 'the talk' once, and he was almost certain that wasn't what Zhong had called him and his mother to the Jade Palace for.

The boy was currently in the middle of throwing on his clothes so he and Shu could visit Zhong at the palace. The wolf had finally finished that 'special project' he had been working on for the past month, and he wanted them to see it right away. Plus, there was also something Po wanted Zhong to see once they were all done.

Erdan grinned, as he remembered the look of absolute displeasure that had been on his dad's face when Po reminded him of how he lost their bet, before he finished pulling on his shorts. Today was gonna be great day.

**((()-()))**

Zhong grunted, as the wolf finished adjusting the metal plates that surrounded his body. As cynical as he was, Zhong had taken Erdan's advice to heart, and had spent the past month redesigning his old guard palace uniform. He had melted down the old, battered metal, and combined it with the new metal from the market to create a completely different design. The results were just as promising as Zhong had hoped they would be.

No longer did his armor remind of him of his old life as the devil's servant. Instead, it was symbol of hope and redemption. Especially the insignia on his shoulder plate. What had once struck fear into the hearts of his enemies, was now a reminder him that anyone could change. Even an old wolf like him.

"Knock knock", a female voice said from behind him.

"_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Zhong grinned, knowing the voice of his beloved mate by heart. "Hello Shu", he said, without turning around.

"Hello sweetheart", Shu greeted, as she and Erdan stepped into Zhong's bedroom. The two wolves marveled at the iron uniform Zhong wore over his robust torso. It didn't take much to guess this was the 'special project' Zhong had needed so much metal for.

Shu, naturally, was the first one to approach, softly rubbing the wolf's chest plate. She had touched her boyfriend's uniform before, many times. But somehow it felt different this time. Before it had been cold and hard, and lifeless. But now that it was being worn by it's heroic owner, it had a certain warmth to it. Instead of scaring her, it felt almost comforting. Welcoming. "So that's what you look like in uniform", Shu whispered.

"Do you guys like it?", Zhong asked.

"I love it", Shu replied, grinning.

"Nice insignia", Erdan noted, touching his father's new shoulder plate. The single red eye, the mark of Lord Shen, was now replaced by the symbol of Yin and Yang. The black and white circle that everyone associated with balance. And now that the Dragon Warrior was a panda, everyone associated it with Po as well. Zhong had even rebuilt his signature hammer, the red lines that once lined the iron were now replaced by the serene portrait of black and white.

Zhong noticed Erdan's interest in the symbol, and laughed heartily. "Yeah, I figured that since I'm with the Dragon Warrior now, I might as well as let the world know where my allegiance lies", Zhong explained.

"So does that mean you'll start wearing your uniform again?", Erdan asked, curious.

Zhong snorted, and starting laughing again, to Shu and Erdan's confusion. "Not even if you paid me kid. You have no idea how troublesome these uniforms were when I was a guard. Yeah sure, they kept you warm. But the ropes always needed readjusting, and wearing heavy metal on top of a fur coat on a hot summer day is torture. Maybe if Po and the Five go to war someday, I'll wear this thing again - in the winter. But for now, I'm perfectly fine being a plain-clothed warrior, like Po", Zhong replied, smiling.

Before Erdan or Shu could respond, someone cleared their throat, and the three wolves turned around to see Po had joined them in the room. "Did someone mention me?", the panda asked.

"I'm coming, I'm coming panda. I just have to change", Zhong said reassuringly.

"Good. It's a long walk to Chor-Gom, and we should start moving now", Po said, grinning smugly.

"I still don't know how you talked Master Shifu into agreeing to this. You'll be spending half a day in the bamboo forest when you should be here training with the others", Shu asked, curious.

"Shifu said it'll teach Zhong an important lesson about honoring his commitments. After all, a gentleman's wager is a very serious thing. And a wolf-", Po replied, obviously pleased Shifu had agreed with him for once.

"Always keeps his promises. Yeah, I know, I know", Zhong grumbled, as he pulled the ropes off his chest plate.

Zhong loved his family and all, and he admired his son's undying sense of humanity, but he was beginning to wish Erdan had never started using that phrase. Cause now, all of his friends were holding him to his word about everything he said, even if he was just joking. Personally, the wolf thought all that 'wolves honoring their commitments' stuff was just a bunch of nonsense (he had known plenty of wolves over the years who had never even heard of such of a phrase), but he didn't argue about it. Partly because he knew how much it meant to Erdan, and partly because he knew having a sense of integrity was an important part of being a kung fu master.

Eventually, the wolf pulled off the last of his new armor. Zhong put it back on the wall, slung his hammer over his shoulder, and walked to the panda's side. "Come on Po. Let's get this over with", Zhong grunted, to Po, Shu, and Erdan's amusement.

**((()-()))**

A few hours later, Zhong found himself following Po down the familiar, darkened hallways of Chor-Gom prison. Shu and Erdan, who had also been curious about their trip, had decided to follow them there and see the infamous Hun Dun for themselves.

Walking all the way across the Valley had been Zhong's torment for losing his bet with Po. Of course, they had all been Chor-Gom since then, many times. First to drop off Harry the pickpocket, and then to admit Fung's gang. But Po had either forgot about the bet, or was too tired to think about it during both of those visits. Now however, the panda was wide awake, and ready to show Zhong the living proof of his wild stories.

"Now remember. He's usually asleep around this time, but we all should all keep quiet just in case. This guy's a total psycho", Po whispered, as they approached the rhino's cell.

"Then why would you take us to a psycho's prison cell?", Zhong whispered bitterly.

"To prove I'm right", Po replied. The Dragon Warrior then turned towards Shu and Erdan. "And you guys, keep your distance", the panda requested. The two wolves nodded, and Po nervously approached cell 4B, the home of his arch-nemesis.

Zhong followed his friend's lead, and though he certainly wouldn't admit it, the wolf was a bit nervous. Whoever this Hun Dun guy was, he was obviously real, and obviously very dangerous if Po was worried about him escaping. Maybe even more dangerous than him.

"There he is", Po whispered, pointing at something in the darkened cell - obviously Hun Dun.

Zhong adjusted his night vision, and gazed between the bars, until he found what Po was looking at. Sleeping on the floor was a large rhinoceros, about Po's size, with a horn that was broken right down the middle. Broken on the day he allowed himself to be crushed by the Dragon Warrior's statute. "_He is real_", Zhong thought, the wolf's one eye widening.

Subconsciously, Zhong took a step back, and his tail drooped a little. Something that always happened when wolves were afraid. His body had betrayed him, like it usually did.

When he glanced at Po, he could see the panda's worried expression had disappeared, replaced by that smug grin he had wore all the way over. "_I told you_", he mouthed silently.

Zhong frowned, but before he could reply, he saw something that made his heart stop. A large hand, or rather hoof, reaching through the bars of Hun Dun's cell, and wrapping itself around Po's neck, pulling the panda back into the bars. Zhong realized for the first time that Po had turned his back to the cell, and that Hun Dun was indeed awake. And try as Po might to free himself, all the panda could do was squirm and flail his arms around wildly.

"Panda!", Zhong shouted, as he, Erdan, and Shu all rushed to the Dragon Warrior's aid.

**((()-()))**

"Thanks for the help back there guys. He snuck up on me", Po panted, as the Dragon Warrior readjusted to being able to breathe normally again. If Zhong and his family hadn't been close by during the incident, the panda wasn't sure if he would have been able regain control over the situation. On the bright side, Hun Dun would certainly be feeling that hit to face he received from Zhong's hammer for weeks.

"Just be glad you had those bars between you two. The guy had you in a choke hold", Zhong said, his concern for his friend outweighing his smugness, as the Dragon Warrior and his pal left Chor-Gom and started walking back towards the village. Erdan and Shu were walking not far behind them, feeling satisfied that they had been able to help Zhong pry Po free from Hun Dun's death grip.

"You know, Shifu let us come here because he said he wanted us to learn a lesson about bets. Maybe the real lesson was not to make bets in the first place?", Zhong mused.

"So are you saying we shouldn't make any more bets anytime soon?", Po suggested.

"I'm okay with that if you are", Zhong replied, grinning.

"Dude, you know what my answer is", Po replied. "Let us agree to never make a bet again", Po said, holding out a bet.

"Deal", Zhong replied, shaking the panda's paw.

At the back of the group, Shu grinned, while Erdan chuckled. Sometimes the boy wondered who the real children were in his group of friends. Still, he was glad to see his dad in such a good mood. It seemed that even getting into a prison fight couldn't damper Zhong's spirits after completing his new armor. Perhaps it came with finding inner peace. If so, inner peace suited him well. And after everything they had been through for the past two months, Erdan figured they all deserved some peace. Like the pieces of Zhong's note that were now scattered somewhere in the mountains, blowing freely and peacefully with the wind.

_**Author's Note:**_

All that waiting that Po had done for Zhong to keep his word, and it only backfired like all his plans. It seems the Dragon Warrior can never win. Surprisingly enough, this still isn't the end. Even though there was a lot recapping in this one, it's actually the last chapter _before_ the epilogue. And after all the drama and character arcs that's been going on for the past 23 chapters, this was more of bonus material than plot-heavy stuff. Because instead of ending this story on another one of Erdan's inner monologues, I decided these last few chapters would be more about fun moments with family and friends, like the fluff bits from chapter 13. Plus, I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't have Zhong finally meet Hun Dun before the end. Nor would I have felt right if I didn't use "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" one last time (in it's original form).

Zhong reinventing his armor is actually a nod to "_**Strength in Unity**_" by Hidden Stranger, one of my favorite Wolf Boss fics on this site. I've always loved the idea of Wolf Boss changing his armor, because I feel it's the perfect metaphor for his new allegiance. Also, Erdan's talk with Zhong was a suggestion from Animation Universe. I have to admit, at first I doubted that a fourteen year old boy wouldn't know about the details of sex, since most of us learned about it from our friends at age thirteen. But then I remembered that this story takes place in Ancient China. A lot of us learned about love-making from books, or movies, or television, or websites, but none of those things existed then. And they wouldn't exsist for another five centuries. So it's completely plausible that most young adults wouldn't know about the details of baby making until they were at least eighteen (even if Danny did use to work in a bar). And now that I think about it, I think the events of this chapter are only fitting. After all, Erdan put Zhong on the spot back in chapter 10, so Zhong returns the favor here. Keep on reading for the final chapter. Trust me, this one'll take you guys by surprise.


	25. Chapter 25: Epilogue

_**Chapter 25: Epilogue (A Wolf Always Keeps His Promises).**_

"Are we almost there Chang?", Lee asked.

"Come on Lee, you didn't complain when we were walking up the stairs. Why are you so whiny now?", Chang asked.

"I'm bored, we've been walking around in these rooms for ages. I can't believe the group left us", Lee said.

"That's because we had to stop and wait for you to catch your breath on the stairs", Chang reminded the rabbit.

"Well I can't help it if Master Shifu was obsessed with stairs. Seriously, as if there weren't enough stairs at Jade Palace, why did he have to build the museum so high up too?", Lee complained to his wolf friend.

Chang chuckled, much to Lee's annoyance. "Look, I'm sure it's only a matter of time until we reach grandpa's exhibit. There's artifacts from all the kung warriors in history, so there's bound to be a bunch of stuff in here", Chang explained, as the wolf and his friend passed the blades of the twin weasels.

Chang, every once in a while, glanced back at his friend to make sure he was still behind him, he didn't want to accidentally leave the slower animal behind. He knew what a strange pair they must have looked like, the wolf and the rabbit, best friends - partners in crime. And even he acknowledged that their friendship was kinda weird. But it helped knowing that their friendship wasn't the first of it's kind. Lee was a friend of Chang's family. His grandfather had been best friends with Chang's grandfather when they were their age. And the third generation was just as inseparable as the first. History seemed to have a strange way of repeating itself.

"Yeah, well, I'm starting to wonder if coming here was worth the trouble", Lee grumbled.

Chang chuckled again, and slowed his pace ever so slightly so his tired friend could keep up. "You could always ride on my shoulder?", Chang suggested.

"No way. Just because grandpa Fang used to let Erdan carry him all the time doesn't mean I'm going to let you", Lee insisted.

"Suit yourself", Chang said, shrugging.

The reason they had came to the museum was because Chang had wanted to prove a point to his friend. Ever since the preteen was a young boy, he had been told stories about his grandfather's heroics. He had learned all about Erdan, the son of a soldier and a shopkeeper. The wolf cub who grew up to become the leader of the next Furious Five. The man responsible for restoring his people's good name, and making it possible for wolves to return to China. Erdan, his grandfather. The man who had proved that anything was possible.

Of course, his friend Lee had been very skeptical of the stories, no matter how much proof Chang presented him with. He had been more interested in the role his grandfather, Fang, had played in Erdan's destiny. How the little rabbit had grown from being a village troublemaker to a noble warrior. How he went from being Erdan's best friend to the wolf's most trusted comrade in battle.

And so, the rabbit doubted the accuracy of the stories, claiming they were only tall tales, and that Erdan's adventures had been widely overblown over the years. So to settle the debate once and for all, Change had suggested that they take a trip to the Valley's museum, so he could see the proof for himself. And after begging their parents to go for weeks, they had finally caved in. Now it was simply a matter of finding the right room.

After hanging his head down in boredom for several minutes, as the rabbit and his friend passed by exhibit after exhibit, Lee's face lit up. "There it is!", the little bunny shouted. Sure enough, they could see several pedestals up ahead that held a variety of items, all of them looked familiar. And the reason they looked familiar was because Chang and Lee had seem them all before, in the fifty year old portraits that hung in both of their houses.

Unsurprisingly, Chang reached the pedestals first. The first thing he noticed was a small piece of red fabric that was placed in the center of the exhibit. "Grandpa's old bandanna", the wolf cub whispered. Even though it was decades old, the neckerchief was still in pretty good shape, with only a few signs of the wear and tear it had received on it's owner's missions.

Chang then looked at the next pedestal, and found something even more amazing. "Grandpa's bow", he said. Behind him, Lee had managed to catch up with his friend, but Chang ignored him, focused more on the family heirloom that was on display. "Do you know how many bad guys he took down with this thing?", Chang said, practically gushing.

"Please, his adventures weren't that great", Lee scoffed.

"Are you kidding? On his first winter feast alone, him and his friends rode out an avalanche and took down a whole army of bison", Chang said, before diverting his attention to another piece of red fabric that sat nearby, this one under lock and key.

Chang didn't need to read the name tag to guess what it was. The fabric itself was enough of a clue. There was none like it in all of China. Possibly the world. Because it wasn't from that world. It was from an entirely different universe. Or a parallel world as the man who owned it used to say. Chang's grandfather had received the material as a thank you present, for helping it's owner.

"_The Doctor's bowtie_", Chang thought, his breath taken away for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab the bowtie in his hands. He wanted to know what the alien fabric felt like. But unfortunately, an inch of glass stood in his way. Perhaps it was for the best. After all, it was an antique.

"What about Fang, huh? If it wasn't for my grandpa, Erdan would have gotten his butt kicked dozens of times. But does history remember him? No", Lee ranted, unaware that his friend had stopped listening to him.

"Relax Lee", a third voice said.

Erdan and Lee turned around, and breathed a sigh of relief, as they realized their chaperone had finally joined them.

"There's a piece here dedicated to Fang too. You didn't really think I'd let them leave out my best friend when they made this exhibit, did you?", the man said reassuringly.

"Grandpa! You made it", Chang said, grinning.

"Of course. Just because I'm old now doesn't mean I can't climb up a flight of stairs. After all, that never stopped Yeung and Gow", Erdan mused, the old wolf sharing his grandson's grin.

Chang and Lee had begged their parents for weeks to let them go to the museum. But they had always said no, insisting that the boys were still too young to be walking around alone (even though their grandparents had done far riskier things when they were their age). Eventually, the wolf and rabbit were able to convince them by suggesting that Chang's grandfather come with them. After all, there was no safer guardian than a retired kung fu master, was there?

Besides, having Erdan, a living legend, come with them to his own exhibit just felt right. He would be able to explain certain things about his stories to them that didn't make sense, and Chang hoped he would have a good time reliving all his old adventures.

They had started climbing the stairs to museum when Erdan had started to lag behind, his cane slowing him down. Though Chang was perfectly fine with waiting, his grandfather had insisted the two boys go ahead of him, and that he'd catch up with them later.

"I see you've found my bandanna", the sixty year-old wolf noted, gazing at the neckerchief that held so many memories.

"And the bowtie the Madman with a Box gave you", Chang added. "What was the spaceman really like grandpa?", the wolf cub asked, bursting with questions.

Erdan grinned, and leaned against his cane. "Well, he was a load of laughs. For a spaceman, he was a real joker. But he was still every bit the hero Oogway's stories said he was. Even if his companions were a bit stiff around me for some reason", Erdan said, musing towards the end.

While Chang seemed to be overtly excited, Lee only rolled his eyes. "Come on. Spacemen? Life among the distant stars? All that stuff can't be real", the rabbit said, skeptical as usual.

"_**I See You, Silence**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"That's what Fang thought too, and my old dad. But the universe is a big place. Filled with humans, and aliens, and time lords alike. Who knows? Maybe the Doctor and his magic blue box will return to the Valley someday. He did say he likes to keep in touch with his friends", Erdan said, sighing fondly at the memories. He could still remember the first time he saw the inside of the TARDIS. The ship that was bigger on the inside. The best ship in the universe.

"What about your first Winter Festival? Did you really help Po and the Five fight Temutai?", Chang continued.

"Yep. The warriors of Qidan were a particularly strong fighting force, much more persistent than Fung and the croc bandits I had faced on my first mission. For a moment, I thought we might actually lose. But we didn't, and we got back just in time for the holidays", Erdan said, smiling.

"What about the avalanche? Did that actually happen?", Chang asked.

Behind him, Lee continued to roll his eyes. "_Like he'd actually tell you if it didn't_", the rabbit thought.

"Oh it happened. That's the kind of thing you don't ever forget", Erdan promised, the retired warrior's grin growing even wider.

Erdan could remember his first Winter Festival like it was yesterday. Because like he said, he would always remember the events of that night. He could remember himself, his father, and his friends running through the bamboo forest, Temutai's warriors hot on their trail. He remembered ordering his friends to grab onto whatever tree branch they could, and to not let go. He remembered clutching his own branch until his paws bled, while yelling at his father to run, as millions of pounds of snow fell down from the mountains, burying the entire forest. He then remembered him and his friends charging into the melee, him shooting his arrows at all directions, covering his own back while helping teammates. And while doing so, angrily scolding his father for being so reckless. In those days, that was everyday life for the boy. But looking back at it, he still couldn't believe the times he had had. All the dreams that had came true.

"Grandpa?", Chang asked, snapping Erdan out of his memories.

"Huh?", the old wolf asked.

"I was asking you if you remembered this painting", Chang explained, pointing an old canvas hanging on the wall.

Erdan squinted his eyes for a moment, staring at the paper, until he finally recognized it. "Oh, that was painted around the time I was sixteen", Erdan replied.

"Really? When?", Chang asked, him and Lee walking towards his grandpa's side to get a closer look at the painting.

"On my birthday. And if I remember right, it was only a few months before I met Lord Shen, the would-be ruler of Gongmen City", Erdan replied, grinning fondly, as he remembered his greatest adventure ever. The day he met his father's old master was the same day he fought side-by-side with the Dragon Warrior, and helped the panda save the Valley of Peace. That was the day he truly became a kung fu master.

"_**Doctor Who: Series Four Closing Credits**_" by Murray Gold begins.

_**Author's Note:**_

And so the return of the Doctor Who theme song signals that "_**Erdan 2**_" has officially come to an end. But just because this fic is over doesn't mean that Erdan's story is. To the contrary, as you might have guessed from this last chapter, the wolf cub's adventures have only just begun. "_**Erdan 2**_" is the first of several stories centered around Erdan, and now that I've got most of the character development sorted out in this one, I can really go places with the boy and his friends.

After all, the fact that he has a grandson in the future means that someday he'll finally meet that special lady he's been waiting for, and that idea alone warrants it's own story. Not to mention, Erdan still hasn't found his parents' killer and brought him to justice yet. And I seem to remember promising you a Doctor Who crossover as well. Erdan and his friends will return in December, in "_**The Winter Festival**_", my very first Christmas fic (which will mercifully be shorter than this one). And as for that teaser about Erdan meeting Lord Shen, don't get too excited about that. That story won't be written for at least another two years (this is the start of a very long game).

For now, the only thing that remains of _this_ fic is the acknowledgments section. I know the dedication part of books might seem a bit boring to some of you, but I'm telling you now that reading it will be well worth your time. Because I had plenty of people to thank for helping me with this fic. So Animation Universe, Wolflover111, TheDrawerProductions, Scruff the Rat, Joe 'Po' Navark, and the rest of your guys reading this (you know who you are), take a look (you'll like what you find).

P.S. The museum that Chang and Lee visit is the same museum that Po, Tigress, and Mantis break into in "_**Secret of the Masters**_".


	26. Chapter 26: Acknowledgments

_**Chapter 26: Acknowledgments and Afterthoughts.**_

_**Afterthoughts:**_

On January 28, 2012, a fourteen year old boy named Erdan arrived in the Valley of Peace, and changed everyone's lives forever, including the life of his unsuspecting author. Scrawny, floppy eared, and nearly dead inside, the preteen wolf carried only a bow, some arrows, and a tear-stained letter in his pocket. During his entire six months of traveling, the only thing that kept the boy going was his dream of meeting the Dragon Warrior and giving up his most prized possession to put the memory of his closest friend to rest. But there was only one problem - his friend wasn't dead.

The story had a simple premise - what if Wolf Boss had a son? What if one of the coldest and most heartless beings ever created could be changed by something as pure and simple as a father's love for his son? But as a simple as the fanfic's summary seemed, the actual story itself was anything but simple. And ever since that very first chapter was posted, it's been one hell of a ride.

From beginning to end, "_**Erdan 2**_" was filled with speeches, fist fights, tearful reunions, romantic gestures, and high-speed chases throughout Ancient China. Erdan's journey was a roller coaster ride of emotions, constantly changing and evolving with each passing chapter. But at the root of it all, there was a timeless message about what it meant to really be part of a family - a life lesson that was laid out early on in chapter 4, and was never too far away in all the following chapters.

When I first started the project at the beginning of the new year, I never expected it would take eight whole months to write, or that it would be so difficult to actually write. But now that I look back on it all, I'm kinda glad it was, because I feel that all the challenges I've faced have helped me to grow and improve as a writer. For example, writing the exposition scenes in chapter 6 was a nightmare (during the some of the worst bits, I wanted to rip my hair out), but if I hadn't tackled that chapter, I would never have gotten used to write massive amounts of dialogue, which would happen again several times in the later chapters.

Essentially, "_**Erdan 2**_" had three main parts. Chapters 1 - 9 were dark and angsty, sometimes even horrific. They painted a vivid mental image of the world as seen through the eyes of a scarred and battered army veteran. But beneath all the darkness, buried below the nightmares and abandonment, was the reconciling of a father and son.

Chapters 10 - 17 were a lot more innocent. Gone were the memories of a gruff, war-hardened soldier, replaced by the youthful and sometimes naïve world view of a fourteen year old boy. Zhong, who had dominated the plot so much during the first few chapters, became more of a supporting character here, a trend that would last the rest of the story. Because from this point on, the fic was told mostly from Erdan's point of view.

I'll admit it, I went a bit soft during the middle chapters. Especially when chapter 13 came around, and Zhong started singing Erdan to sleep. But the middle ones were a whole lot of fun to write. They introduced new characters, strengthened the bond between Erdan, Shu, and Zhong, gave the boy his first job in the village, and started him on his path to becoming the legend you know he will be someday. The chase in chapter 15 is one of my favorite moments in this fic. Not to mention that awkward moment between Erdan and Zhong in chapter 10 (you're not alone Erdan, I've already suspected Wolf Boss of different tastes as well, for obvious reasons).

All in all, I guess I'm kind of a softie like Zhong when it comes to children. But sometimes the gentle, fluffy bits of family films are the best parts of the movie (if any of you ever watched "_**Brother Bear**_" or "_**Bambi II**_" when you were a kid, you know what I'm talking about). Besides, the middle ones paved the way for the finale, especially when Fung and his gang reappeared at the end of chapter 17.

After a long and painful summer hiatus, the third and final act lasted for most of August. For chapters 18 - 25, I decided to take the plot of "_**Erdan 2**_", and kick it up a notch. The overarching theme of family loyalty climaxed, and I tried to play out the fight between Erdan and the crocs like an action movie (with a militant tone to it that fit the son of a general). Every plot thread I laid out throughout the story was sewn up here, while setting up a few more for future fics, but whether they fitted together loosely or tightly is entirely up to you to decide. In my opinion, I'm proud of how the ending turned out. The croc bandits were defeated, the Dragon Chalice was returned, Shu became a mother, and Zhong finally held up his end of the bet he made with Po.

And just like how I have my favorite chapters, I also have my favorite music from this story, just like the ones from my Balto fics. Here are ten of my favorite orchestra tracks featured, ordered chronologically rather than by personal choice (Murray Gold, you are a mad, musical genius).

* The "_**Doctor Who: Series Four Opening Credits**_" is the track that opened this fic, and just like always, the Doctor Who theme song gets you in the mood for the action and adventure that you know will follow it.

* Melanie Pappenheim's lovely vocals from "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" worked well with the scene in Shu's kitchen, and hints of Zhong's love theme were never far away for the rest of the fic. And the music of the time lord and his TARDIS will certainly make a return appearance in Erdan's holiday special.

* Mae McKenna's lines from "_**Melody Pond**_" were also undeniably powerful, during Erdan's shocking revelation about his supposedly dead father.

* Zhong's main motif, "_**The Doctor's Theme**_", would just seem like an abstract piece of gibberish upon it's first listening. But once you get used to it, the song is hauntingly beautiful. And though Wolf Boss' primary theme never got the chance to be delved into in this fic, "_**The Doctor's Theme**_" will reach it's full potential in "_**Lazarus**_", another Wolf Boss fic that'll follow Erdan's Christmas special.

* After writing chapter 9, "_**The Source**_" will always remind me of Zhong and Erdan reconciling, as the stoic but emotional suite of music fit the father and son duo perfectly.

* Ever since Erdan first appeared in chapter 1, the boy had been hiding a dark secret about his past. And "_**The Wedding of River Song**_" is the music that underscores Erdan's memories about his family. The modern tango builds and builds, weaving together threads of Zhong, Erdan, and Shu's themes, as the boy fully accepts Zhong and Shu as his new parents for the first time.

* Zhong has never been much of a romantic, but he means the whole world to both Shu and Erdan. And as Shu recounts her first meeting with the one-eyed wolf, Zhong's love theme culminates, in the form of "_**The Sad Man With A Box**_".

* "_**UNIT Rocks!**_" was appropriately named, because after listening to this action piece, there's no way you'll still feel like sitting down.

* As for "_**A Pressing Need To World**_", what can I say? Except that whenever "_**All The Strange, Strange Creatures**_" enters a scene, whether it's on television or in fanfiction, and no matter what form the tunes takes, stuff gets real.

* And finally, Erdan's secondary theme, "_**Back to the Future**_", fits right in with the adventurous style the music took on in chapters 18 - 22. No matter how many years go by, the music of Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and their flying DeLorean will always be epic, and fun, and adventurous (if you don't believe me, just watch the opening credits of "_**Back to the Future, Part II**_").

Now that this fic is over, I've sorted out my schedule for the rest of the year, starting with September. First, I'll post a fic I've been working on with my friend, Kodiwolf321, called "_**The Revenge and Redemption of Steele**_". And then I'll finally get started on another Balto fic, the one I've been meaning to write since January - "_**Salvation, Part 3**_", the conclusion of the Salvation trilogy. In between October and November, I'll write a few short fics for Back to the Future and The Twilight saga - my first M-rated slash fics (so Ani, these are definitely the kind of stories you don't wanna read, unless you wanna have nightmares for weeks).

And then I'll get to work on that Po/Wolf Boss fic I promised you guys (don't worry, this one's T-rated). To me, there's something strangely amusing, and alluring, about a macho, burly guy like Wolf Boss locking lips with a fluffy bear like Po. I've been toying with the idea for a while now, and now that I've got it in my head, I've just gotta write it. As ridiculous as it probably sounds, you have to admit Po and Wolf Boss becoming a thing is just as much of as possibility as every other romance fic I've read about KFP. Besides, it's been over a year, and there's still no PoxWolf boss stories. There's hardly even any fics where they're in the same story, so someone's gotta write one. Maybe I'll write two. One T-rated, and the other one M-rated. Cause some guys like hot and bothered one-shots, and other guys like slow, romantic fics.

And like I said before, Erdan and his friends will return in December, when I try my first attempt at writing a Christmas story. I'll actually start writing it the same time as the Twilight fics, so it'll be done in time for Christmas. "_**Lazarus**_" will come soon after, at the start of the new year. If you like dark, angsty Wolf Boss fics, this might be the one for you (plus, "_**The Doctor's Theme**_" will finally get the attention it deserves). And after that, my schedule's an open book. I'll probably alternate between Balto and Kung Fu Panda fics in 2013, with a few standalone stories for other categories in-between. All in all, now that I've got my writing mojo back, there's a world of new possibilities I can't wait to try out. So when you're done reading the dedication below, feel free to post your last comments, and share your final thoughts about "_**Erdan 2**_".

_**Acknowledgments:**_

Besides my wonderful friends and family, there are also a few guys and girls on this site that I'd like to thank for all their added support.

* _**Wolflover111**_ - If it hadn't been for you deciding, on a whim, to write a Wolf Boss fic last fall, Erdan's story would have never been born. Which means that I would have never read it, and I'd still have writer's block right now. And none of us would be reading this message. So I, along with everyone else reading this story, have all of you to thank for this. I'm not sure if I ever told you this, but I am sincerely grateful for you reviewing "_**Erdan 2**_". A lot of guys would have just forgotten about this fic and moved onto something else during the summer hiatus. But it means a lot that you kept reading whenever I posted, even if I couldn't always tell if you were there. I hope someday I can return the favor.

* _**Animation Universe 2005**_ - Ani, I also owe you a great deal of thanks. Not just for allowing me to write this fic, but also supporting me the entire time. If it hadn't been for you, I probably would have never made it past the early chapters. You offered me advice, suggestions, and always gave me a good review on slow days. Plus, on days that I started to get lazy, you always reminded me that I had a job to do. Not only are you a good writer, but you're also a great friend, and after having known you for most of the year, I now consider you one of my best buds on the site (read the friend section on my userpage).

* _**Scruff the Rat**_ - Whether we're talking about music, or character development, or Shu's unique love for older men, it's always nice to meet a kindred spirit on this site. Someone who understands how hard developing a character is, especially one as deep and complex as Wolf Boss. And who knows? Maybe Bonnie and Yiang can double date with Zhong and Shu someday (now _that_ would be one heck of a crossover!). Also, I read your userpage. If you're crazy for assigning your characters' themes, then I guess we both belong in an asylum.

* _**TheDrawerProductions**_ - Reviewing a story is one thing. But giving the author advice on how to improve is another thing entirely. It's always nice to know someone reads my stories. And it's extremely nice to know that someone likes them enough to notice the mistakes I've made while writing them (that shows you've really been paying attention). So when I first got that review from you, my first reaction was surprise. And then respect. Not a lot of people here take up enough time to let people know what they think of their stories, let alone try to help them improve. So the fact that you took the time to write one so long, so helpful, it's touching. And it was my pleasure to repay the favor by reviewing "_**My Father's Past Echoes**_". I look forward to your next update.

* _**Joe 'Po' Navark**_ - Speaking of reviews, Joe, thanks for reviewing "_**Erdan 2**_" whenever you found the time. I need the life of a college guy can be frantic, and I totally understand why your reviews are so far apart. Personally, the gaps between mine are even longer. So I've gotta keep reading if I want to catch up on "_**Eyes of the Wolverine**_" (I am now officially a Jo and Jada shipper).

* _**Miscellaneous**_ - Don't think I've forgotten about all you anonymous and part-time reviewers too. Your reviews boosted my confidence just as much as the steady ones. Guys like the one who was the first one to review this fic. And YelloVulp, who drew such amazing fan art for this fic. I feel like I have you to thank for drawing in so many readers after chapter 10. Landofthefuture and son of wind, thanks for reviewing over the summer. LOTF, I'll try to read your fic, "_**Beauty and the Wolf**_", whenever I get a chance.

_**Copyrights:**_

* "_**Doctor Who: Series Four Opening Credits**_", "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_", "_**Melody Pond**_", "_**The Doctor's Theme**_", "_**Tooth and Claw**_", "_**The Source**_", "_**The Wedding of River Song**_", "_**Life Among the Distant Stars**_", "_**Corridors and Fire Escapes**_", "_**Hanging On A Tablaphone**_", "_**A Cab For Amy Pond**_", "_**UNIT**_", "_**The Sad Man With A Box**_", "_**UNIT Rocks!**_", "_**A Pressing Need To Save The World**_", "_**Song of Freedom**_", "_**I See You, Silence**_", and "_**Doctor Who: Series Four Closing Credits**_" are copyright of Silva Screen Records.

* "_**Look Through My Eyes**_" is copyrighted to Walt Disney Records.

* "_**Leave Out All The Rest**_", "_**Bella's Lullaby**_", and "_**Tremble For My Beloved**_", are copyrighted to Atlantic records.

* "_**Skateboard Chase**_", "_**Burn the Book**_", "_**Back to the Future**_", "_**'85 Lone Pine Mall**_", and "_**4x4**_" are copyrighted to MCA records.

* "_**Doubleback**_" is copyrighted to MCA records.

* "_**Someone in the Dark**_" is copyrighted to Epic records.

* "_**She's Country**_" is copyrighted to Broken Bow Records.

* "_**Falling Down**_" and "_**Something I Don't Know**_" are copyrighted to Hollywood records.


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